FNAF: Zootropolis
by RegularShowMemorabilia
Summary: Clyde moves to the big city after a rough childhood that refuses to detach from his memories, in search of his future and escaping from his past that haunts him. He quickly meets Frederick Fazbear and the two of them, with the help of old friends and enemies, uncover a conspiracy involving collars, predators and a revolution thousands of years in the making.
1. Chapter One - Introduction

**Welcome to Zootropolis. A project I've been thinking about for a while that isn't choice-based. Now. This story isn't going to directly 'involve' characters from Zootopia, however, I consider this story to be taking place in the same universe, in a practically mirror-imaged city of Zootopia, just with a different name, so I hope that explains the crossover thing, haha.**

 **As I had said before, Clyde is the protagonist. It's in first person, and I've changed the present tense to past tense, so it's easier for me to write, and easier for you to read. I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Also. I haven't got a steady update schedule for this yet. However, I've pre-written two other chapters, so we should be okay for a bit. Thanks for reading.**

 **EDIT: I forgot to mention that Clyde is my name for Toy Bonnie. Sorry XD**

'Zootropolis. Where your dreams come to thrive.' Yeah, more like the place where dreams come to die.

There I was, sitting on this clunky bed, in an apartment covered in rust and dust, with my ears being obliterated from the traffic outside my small window. This apartment was like a cell; the only difference is that I could've left.

I didn't want to leave though. I needed to stay optimistic, so that I didn't end up offing myself or getting somebody hurt!

I'd only been there for a day and my confidence in getting my dream job, or meeting other people was destroyed in the first few hours. What happened to being the optimistic rabbit that my family knew I used to be?

I got a harsh lesson when I was only a kid, but I always held my head up high. My parents were going through a rough patch in their marriage, which eventually led to their divorce. My dad took care of me for the last five years after my mom left, and took my sister with her.

My dad never told me what happened that pushed them apart. I used to constantly blame myself for it when it happened, but dad convinced me it wasn't my fault. Now that I think about it, maybe it was the way I acted? Wanting to be different than everyone else?

The earliest instance I can remember them fighting was when I was four. I never forgot what happened that night.

My dad had picked me up from a friend's house and brought me home. I remembered that smile that was on his face, but I saw right through it. Something wasn't right. But I was too young to comprehend what was actually going on. My dad led me upstairs and walked me to my bedroom, where I slipped my star-studded pyjamas on the slid under the covers.

He sat down on the end of my bed and gave me a small smile. I frowned at him and adjusted my covers, pulling one of my plushes close to my chest. I still have him somewhere I think, in one of my bags.

It's a pink rabbit with blue stripes on its ears. I had called it Fluffbun, for no specific reason. Nobody really questioned it anyway, so I didn't see the point in bringing any answers to the question.

I'm not sure who gave it to me, whether it was my mother, sister or father, but I remember getting it when I was really young. My sister still lived with us at the time, being only eight years old. I think she was in the room beside me, I don't quite remember my old home that much.

My dad stroked my shoulder, his smile fading, "Fluffy rabbits hopping along..." He started to sing softly, "Through the ripe fields of farm and song..."

I honestly couldn't remember the rest of the song. The only two lines I really took to heart were the first two. They always got to me, and I was never sure of why. My dad finished his song and slowly walked over to the door, flicking the light switch and smiling back at me.

"Goodnight kiddo..." He muttered. I smiled at him and watched him walk outside, closing the door gently after him. I closed my eyes and sighed softly, eventually letting the darkness take over.

I was awoken by the sounds of shouting coming from downstairs. Being four years old, I wasn't quite educated in domestic violence, but the shouting caused me to wake up either way.

I slowly pushed myself out of my bed, knocking the covers to the floor. I picked up Fluffbun and hugged it close to my chest, a frown creeping onto my face as I slowly approached the door.

I reached for the handle and pulled it gently, the light coming from the hallway came creeping in through the cracks between the door and frame. I only pulled the door out a little, saving just enough room for me to slip through. I sighed softly and approached the stairs. I inhaled cautiously and started slowly walking down the wooden stairs.

I could hear the screaming getting louder as I went further down. The creaking sounds I was making as I slowly trudged down the stairs slowly faded as I got closer and closer to the ground.

I stopped as I saw my father in the living room, with a look of shock plastered on his face. I sat on the stairs and peeked through the railing, watching the situation unfold.

Maybe I should've done something. Maybe it would've prevented this. But what could I have done? I was just a kid, a kid who didn't know any better. I watched the situation increase in intensity as I saw my mother come out from behind a bookcase, with one of her paws above her head.

My sister was sitting on the couch, watching in horror as she lowered her hand fast and slapped my father across the face, leaving a painful mark on his cheek. He held his cheek and looked at her in shock, with tears trailing down his face.

I jumped off the final step, tripping over my own feet and landing on the harsh wooden floor. I slid to a stop a few feet away from the steps and pushed myself to my feet. My sister was standing in front of me, with tears trailing down her face. She hugged me tightly and held her close, while trying to shield me from the screaming coming from the living room.

"Think of the kids, Martha!" I heard my father shout, "They're right there!"

My mother didn't reply, and instead just approached us. I pushed my sister's paw away from my eyes and looked up at my mother as she approached, with her paws outreached. I remember screaming as loud as I could and running back up the stairs with my sister trailing behind.

I could hear my mother's screams, alongside her calling our names as I slammed the door behind me. I remember sitting in there for a few minutes with my sister caressing me, trying to comfort me.

"Why is mommy so mean?" I asked, muttering to myself.

My sister sighed softly and stroked my shoulder with a frown, "I don't know..." The sun set rather quickly after that. My sister brought me to my bed and tucked me in. She closed the blinds on a nearby window, cloaking the entire room in darkness.

I whimpered and pulled at her shoulder, stopping her from leaving, "Please don't leave." I muttered. My sister sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, while the shouting downstairs slowly died down.

The house got real quiet for the few years after that, until dad said he had to go to court for some reason. My sister told me all about what had happened. From what I remember, my mother had gotten custody of her, and I haven't seen her since.

A few years passed after that. I was standing at the airport, holding my suitcases in my paws. I sighed softly and bit my lip. My paws were shaking. I was so nervous!

I lived – I guess you could say – in the country. Not on a farm, but somewhere far away from any urban location. The nearest city was Zootropolis. And I've only ever heard stories of that place.

It was the place where dreams came true – however cliché that may sound. I'd heard so many stories about people going to the city and never coming back. Not for bad reasons of course! They'd become lawyers, CEOs and important people!

My dream was quite different however.

When I was very young, for a Christmas one year; I was given a Polaroid camera by my father. My mother tore into him about how much it cost, but he didn't care. He just wanted to see me happy!

I've been taking pictures ever since then, and I have had a knack for it. I'd graduated school and gone to university, which gave me a good reputation out in the country.

Every time I woke up, I would see my diploma and degree for arts on the wall opposite my bed, framed and kept safe by the glass.

My father was standing beside me at the airport as my plane arrived. I glanced at him, tears trailing down my face and my lip quivering.

"Oh Clyde…" My father embraced me, as he started to cry himself. My ears lowered as he hugged me tightly, our fur brushing against each-other. I sighed softly and pulled away as people started to line up near the entrance to the plane.

I kissed my dad on the cheek and smiled at him, stepping back a little further, "Wish me luck, huh?"

"My son…" He muttered, "Going to Zootropolis…I never would've thought…" I could feel myself melt at the sight of my father crying in front of me.

I looked down, my ears flopping over my eyes. I brushed them away and glanced over at the line ago, "See ya, dad…" I muttered, walking away slowly and waving at him.

He waved at me and smiled, while holding a paw over his mouth. I turned away and approached the line. I could feel the sweat on the palms of my paws as the line slowly got smaller and smaller.

I smiled at the woman who was taking the tickets and showed it to her, "Have a good flight." I muttered something in return and started walking through the narrow tunnel.

I was greeted by a stewardess at the door, who had the fakest smile on her face, "Go on inside." I walked into the aircraft and went towards the back. I lowered my ticket and glanced at my seat, looking above the seat and slipping my suitcases in the compartment and resting in the seat.

I made myself comfortable and rubbed my forehead, while taking in my surroundings. I could see many anthros of many cultures and species. I felt the plane shake a little as a large lion dressed in a black business suit came through the door and approached me. He pushed past me, while muttering a few apologies, and taking a seat beside me.

I glanced at him, only to receive a small smile in return, "Hi there." I greeted.

"Hey there," The lion spoke in a Texan accent, "Looks like this be your first time on a plane, correct?"

"Only on crop-dusters, am I right?" I chuckled. The lion chuckled heartily, while smashing his paw repeatedly against the side of the seat, causing the seats to vibrate, "That was a joke."

"I had a feelin'," He muttered, "You don't look like a farmer." He adjusted his tie.

"Heading to Zootropolis for the first time…" I glanced back at him, "I'm kinda nervous actually…" I rubbed my paws together. My ears perked as the P.A. system started up, and the captain started speaking to the passengers.

"Zootropolis is where dreams come true," He said, "You'll know once you get there." I tuned out after that, taking all of the sounds and silencing them as I fell into my own world.

With the help of my earphones of course. I slipped them into my ears and switched on my phone, scrolling through a few songs until I eventually came to a good one. I sighed softly and closed my eyes again, resting my head against the top of the seat and letting the music take over.

I'd never been this excited in my whole life.

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **\- RSM**


	2. Chapter Two - A New Home

**After the response from the first chapter, I just had to release the second chapter immediately! Don't expect often updates, but expect...well, updates! :D**

I awoke without my eyes opening. My soothing music had stopped, and was replaced with the sounds of people talking in the aircraft. I pulled out my earphones and sighed softly, glancing my left.

The lion from earlier was snoring rather loudly, with his tie untied and lying across his forehead. I chuckled quietly and stretched, pulling my phone out of my pocket and switching it on.

It was just a few minutes after seven in the morning. I yawned and rubbed the back of my head, as the captain started talking through the P.A. again, "Greetings Zoolanders," The cabin was filled with almost complete silence, save for a few chuckles, "We're just a few minutes out from Zootropolis airport. It's a warm twenty four degrees Celsius, with a sunny week ahead!"

"If you'd like, there's some amazing sights to see! Open the windows and take a glance. We'll be landing at the airport soon!" The captain finished, leaving the cabin in complete silence.

I bit my lip and pulled up the blind, shielding myself from the light as it came through the glass. I rubbed my eyes and glanced out of the window, trying to adjust to the bright lights of the outside world.

It was the most amazing sight I had ever seen in my life. I looked down and saw dozens of different colours! Those were the well-known districts of Zootropolis. I didn't know the names, but I could kind of guess the element and inhabitants of the districts.

Ice, desert, rainforest...all of the good stuff! I flinched as I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Mornin'..." The lion from earlier was staring at me with a tired smile. I returned the smile with my own awkward grin and brushed his paw off gently.

"Good morning..." My smile faded. The lion put his tie back on and stretched, pulling at his fur a little, "Is...is this your first time to Zootropolis?"

"Not quite," The lion responded, "I work at a law firm."

"That's pretty cool..." I smiled back at him. The lion grinned and adjusted his suit, sitting up and stretching further. I sat in silence and closed my eyes as the plane landed on the tarmac.

I was literally standing in the centre of a massive crowd of hundreds of different species of animals once I got inside! There had to be thousands of them inside the airport. I put on some music and let the music take over me as I finally managed to push my way through the airport and out the front.

"Holy..." My eyes widened. I was absolutely enthralled with how many people were around. Hundreds of cars were driving past the airport, and dozens of planes were taking off from the airport every minute.

I couldn't make a pair out of any animal. Everyone had some sort of difference! I stood on the curb, waiting for a cab to come by. I watched a cab stop in front of me, watching some passengers get out.

There was a guy wearing a rainbow cape, and a female vixen wearing a gold vest, "Now I've seen everything..." I murmured as I approached the cab. I opened the back door of the cab and sat inside, shutting the door after me.

"Where to?" An owl was sitting in the front seat, with his wing outstretching over the back of the front seat, "Oh. You're a tourist..."

"Do you know where...uhm..." I pulled out a slip of paper from one of my suitcases and looked down at it, my ears lowering as the ink from the pen had been smudged with some sort of liquid, "Shit..." I muttered.

The cab driver gave me a smile and turned to face forward, "Looks like your drink leaked." He muttered.

I was lucky that this driver wasn't a complete asshole. I made myself comfortable in the back-seat as he drove away from the airport. I tried my hardest to make out an address from the paper.

"Uh...it's an apartment complex, I know this," I said. The owl nodded and pulled out of the airport carpark, and onto a busy street, "I've seen the pictures. It has the fountain out the front? It's in the urban district I think."

"The bad side of town?" The driver asked, with a worried tone, "What're you doing there?"

"I moved here..." I narrowed my eyes, "I'm trying to get a job as a photographer...or maybe something useful." I murmured. The driver shook his head and turned the car around, presumably going in the direction of the apartment complex.

I stared out the window in awe of the vibrant colours. I gasped as the colours faded as we entered the urban district of Zootropolis. He stopped the cab rather abruptly, which caused me to fall forward slightly.

He apologized and turned to look at me. I handed him the money and opened the door, peering outside, "This is the place, right?" He asked.

I immediately recognised the name of the apartment complex as I met eyes with the building, "Yeah. Yeah this is the place."

After checking in, I followed a rather large man up a set of rickety stairs that reminded me of home. The paint on the walls were peeling off, and bugs were crawling across the floor. I grimaced the sight of a spider crawling across the wall beside us.

"Apartment 9," He panted heavily and handed me the key, which was drenched with some sort of bodily fluid. Thank gosh it was just sweat. I watched him open the door, much to my dismay. I stared at the apartment in shock.

It couldn't have been bigger than a bathroom. It had a small wooden desk on the east side of the room, a broken window at the north side of the room, and a bed on the west side of the room. I leant forward a little and noticed a small fridge beneath the wooden desk.

I looked at the man as if he was insane, "This...this is my apartment?"

"That's where I was told to take you," He shrugged, "Rent is three-hundred a week." He walked off without saying anything else. I walked into the room and shut the door behind me, dropping the suitcases on the floor.

"Well...not the biggest apartment in the world," I slowly approached the window. I winced as I heard the sound of a trunk honking it's horn, "Not the cleanest or quietest..."

"But whatever! Could've been worse." I rested my suitcases under my new desk and placed my backpack atop of the desk.

I pulled out a wooden chair from behind the bed and rested it in front of the desk. I rested myself on the chair and slowly pulled myself forward, which caused me to slide my paw against the rough wood.

I winced as I felt some of the wood splinter into my finger. I shook my finger and groaned to myself at the pain. I panted softly as the pain subsided, but it was still an annoyance. I opened my backpack and pulled out a few books, resting it on a small shelf atop of the desk.

I rested my camera beside the shelf, a small smile creeping onto my face as I felt something fluffy on my paws, "Fluffbun..." I pulled out the rabbit, with it's faded colours and hugged it tightly against my chest. I sighed softly and rested the plush on the bed, sitting on the edge of the bed. I pulled out my phone and unlocked it, scrolling through the apps and opening the camera application.

I used it as a mirror so I could take a good look at myself. My cyan-coloured fur caught my attention almost immediately. I wasn't too happy with how I looked, but at the time I was rather depressed.

My face was scar-free, but I had a few small blemishes just above my left eye. I stroked the side of my face and smiled warmly. I didn't really question why I looked so feminine, as it wasn't my time to really consider it.

I sighed softly and tried to keep myself as happy as I could. Being optimistic is how us rabbits survive. Oh, and also staying in large groups of rabbits. But there I was, sitting alone in a dirty apartment in the biggest metropolis on the planet.

Or in the universe. Who knew, really?

I flinched as the wall was being smashed on. I heard glass smashing, followed by two females screaming at each-other.

 _Great_ , I thought, _Just what I need. A constant reminder of people I want to forget._

It wasn't what I expected. But even if this was a low point in everything, it could've only gotten better than that! I gasped as my phone vibrated in my paws.

I answered the phone and rested it against my ear, "Dad?"

"Hi champ! How's the big city, huh? Haven't forgotten little-ole-me, have you?" Hearing his voice made me feel instantly better about everything.

"Oh...hey dad," My tail started slapping against the sheets, "I was going to call you tomorrow morning..."

"I missed you, kiddo! How's things?" My father asked, in a rather loud tone.

I paused, "It...well. It wasn't how I expected. My apartment is less impressive than I thought it would be, but...you gotta start somewhere, you know?"

"Yeah..." I heard a hint of disappointment in his tone, "So. What exactly are you gonna do there? I know you want to be a photographer...but I mean, what do you want to do as a temporary job…?"

"I'm not sure," I sighed, "I never really thought of it."

I stopped him before he could say anything else, "Before you say anything, don't worry. I will look for jobs tomorrow."

My dad gave out a sigh of relief, "Thanks Clyde. Makes sure you stay safe, kiddo. Remember I'm just a call away!"

"I will, dad..." I murmured, "Bye!"

"Bye, son." I hung up and rested the phone in my pocket. I closed my eyes and took off my shirt, followed by my jeans. I laid under the covers with just my boxers on, and made myself comfortable in the freezing room.

I was wishing that I had a heater or something, but I had no such pleasure, so I just had to deal with what was offered to me at the time. I shivered and pulled Fluffbun close to my chest, with a smile slowly creeping onto my face.

"First day..." I muttered, "It's gonna be okay...it's gonna be okay..." I drifted off into sleep shortly after.

In the early hours of the morning, I had taken a shower in one of the most disgusting places ever. In that apartment complex, there as literally changing rooms and public showers on the bottom floor. Wouldn't it have been easier to have their own personal shower or bath?

I had spent the hours following that trying to search for a job, while taking in the sights of the unfortunately disadvantaged part of Zootropolis.

It was noon, and I still hadn't found anyone that would take me. I had been to half a dozen different places seeking employees, but I was turned down by all of them.

They never disclosed the reason why I couldn't be hired, which I found rather suspicious. But the last thing I wanted to do; was make enemies in my new home.

I groaned as I kept being pushed past as I slowly went across the footpath. The bustling traffic sounds were obliterating my ears, and I needed respite from it. I reached into my pocket and went through my wallet, looking for any scrap of cash I had to spare.

I had just over a hundred dollars left, and I hadn't paid my first rent yet!

I could've asked my father, but how embarrassing would that have been? And besides; he can hardly make enough money for himself, let alone for his twenty-two year old son that can't seem to get a job without messing something up!

I walked into a nearby cafe, sighing softly as I could feel the ambiance of the cafe.

A cafe is one of my favorite places in the entire universe. You can go in to get a coffee, and to enjoy amazing tasting coffee and treats, with the addition of people chatting quietly around you, and mostly always friendly waiters/waitresses.

It reminded me of the old diners we used to have in the country. The sounds of clanging silverware is still present in most cafes, and instead of there being a classic jukebox, they just play classic songs through multiple speakers throughout most cafes.

I approached the front counter and smiled as I tapped the metal bell. I bit my lip and rubbed my shoulder, a sense of nervousness creeping through my body. A door leading to a room behind the counter opened, and a large bear dressed in a white and green apron came through it.

I took note of the frown on his face and stared at him, "Hi..." I murmured. He looked at me with a grin and rested against the counter. He spoke in the smoothest voice I have ever heard, which made me feel as if there was butterflies in my stomach.

It took me a few seconds to process that he was trying to say something;

"Welcome to Candy's Coffees and Pancakes. Can I take your order?"

 **As I said, I'm trying new things. New pairings, and new ideas. :D**

 **\- RSM**


	3. Chapter Three - The Money

**And here's the third chapter.**

I snapped back into reality as the bear repeated his question for the third time, "Sir? Sir?" I glanced back at him, "I asked if you wanted me to take your order."

"I uh..." I stumbled over my words. It took me a full minute to get a full sentence out of my mouth, "Yes...I uh, can I just get a coffee?"

"Did you want to take a seat?" The bear adjusted his apron and pulled out a pen and paper from his pocket. He wrote down the order and glanced back at me with a small smile on his face.

I took in his appearance in the seconds following after that. His fur was completely brown, save for one scar going from above his left eye, to just below it. I winced as I studied it, wondering how somebody could get a scar like that.

"Yeah.." He handed me a number for a table, "Can I just sit anywhere?" The bear nodded in response and smiled at me as I turned and walked in the other direction. I walked through the cafe, earning a few looks from the other patrons.

I suddenly felt like I didn't belong here. I wasn't sure why I kept getting so many looks of confusion and disgust, but I quickly pushed those thoughts away as I sat at a table at the back of the cafe. I tapped my fingers on the table and looked around, taking in my surroundings as people walked in and out of the front doors.

Being in a cafe is the most calming thing in my opinion. It helps me think, and calms me down after something negative happens. I looked down at the table and let my thoughts take over.

I sighed softly as dozens of thoughts ran through my mind, most of them involving the unemployment I was facing at the current moment. Why wasn't I being hired? Was there something wrong with me? This was a serious problem. The rent was really expensive, and I needed to pay it! If I didn't have a job, how on earth was I going to pay the astronomical rent for my shitty apartment?

I calmed myself down and bit down on my lip. How far would I go to get money? Disgusting thoughts started flowing through my mind, which caused me to cringe and made me feel like I was going to vomit.

I rubbed my head, while letting out an exasperated sigh, "There has to be something.." The sound of heavy footsteps interrupted me. I looked up and saw the bear from earlier walking over, while holding a mug in his paw. He smiled at me and slowly lowered the mug, resting it on the table in front of me.

I think he took note of my frown, cause he was still there after putting the mug down, "Are you alright, sir?" He had a look of worry on his face. I shrugged and rested my paw on the mug, wincing a little as I realised that the mug was extremely hot.

"Been better, honestly.." I responded, rubbing my paws together.

"Are you new here?" The bear raised an eyebrow. I looked back at him and nodded cautiously. This was the first person who had bothered to talk to me since I arrived in this town, and I was thankful for that.

"I've only been in Zootopia for a day, and I think I've got no hope in getting where I wanted to be..." I murmured, taking a sip from the mug. I savoured the taste, and sighed softly. I had to admire the way cafes made their coffees, as there was always a better taste than the home-made coffees that you could pick up from the local supermarket.

The bear pulled out a chair and sat opposite of me, with a large frown on his face, "Hmph, had dreams of this place too?" The bear asked. My dreams of becoming a professional photographer were still intact, the only problems I had, were that Zootropolis wasn't what everyone had made it out to be.

"I still have dreams," I took another sip from my warm mug, "I want to become a professional photographer, and my dream hasn't been destroyed yet. I'm just a little disappointed is all..." He sighed and folded his arms, while glancing over at his counter. A small line was at the counter, waiting for service.

I looked up to see that he'd walked back over to the counter. I looked back down at my coffee and took another drink. What was I thinking? That anyone would give a shit about what I had to say? I didn't have the appetite to finish the rest of my coffee, so I left it half-finished and walked out of the cafe, and back into the bustling streets of Zootropolis.

I inserted my earphones into my ears and pulled out my phone. I grunted as I was pushed aside by a small group of anthros. I rested against a nearby wall and pulled out my phone again, scrolling through the songs and eventually choosing one.

I wasn't really interested in many different rock stars or pop stars, but I had a few favourites. I remember hearing about a pop star from Zootopia called 'Gazelle' or something. I liked some of her songs, even met her on one occasion back in my home town.

At this point in time, the song I was listening to was the newest single from a pop star called Lionheart. He played a mix of pop songs and jazz songs, and sometimes mixed them together. It was an odd type of music, but I respected that he was trying something different.

I rested my paws in my pockets and started walking along the footpath. The further I went along the street, the more small I began to feel. I was surrounded by dozens, maybe hundreds of different species of predator and prey, and most of them were all bigger, buffer or more taller than myself.

I'm not a small rabbit, either. I'm about five foot or so. So maybe everyone in this town takes something that makes them taller? Shit, maybe I shrunk! I wasn't sure.

I came around a corner, walking out of the bustling street and into a more quiet street, with only a few anthros walking along the paths, and a car or two passing every few minutes or so. I glanced to my left and noticed a rabbit seeing carrot-sticks, so I took one of my earphones out and approached the vendor.

"Carrot sticks! Get your carrot sticks here, for only four dollars!" The vendor exclaimed, while holding a box of carrot sticks inside a box. I approached the woman with a small smile and folded my arms. She glanced at me and lowered the box, with a shocked expression on her face.

"Clyde? That you?" She asked. I narrowed my eyes at the woman. How could she possibly know me? I wasn't famous or anything. She was wearing a pink dress, which had a few tears in it, and a fedora which had two holes on either side, so her ears could fit through.

No. I'd never seen this woman in my life, and I was sure of that, "I'm not sure that I know who you are..." I murmured with a frown.

She narrowed her eyes and came around the counter, approaching me with a cautious expression on her face, "Clyde Donovan?" She tilted her head, "Don't you remember me?" Her frown morphed into a small grin as I felt a hand reach into my pocket.

Before I knew it, a canine dressed in a fully black jacket came out from behind a nearby car and snatched my wallet. I stared at him with wide-eyes as he started to run in the opposite direction.

"HEY!" I gave chase, almost tripping over a dip in the pavement. He had turned into the bustling street, possibly in an attempt to lose me in the crowd of people. But I could smell him from a mile away, canines were easy to pinpoint.

I pushed through the crowd, even running under a few pairs of legs during the way. I never lost sight of the canine as I came out from the other side of the crowd. He'd ran across the road and towards a flower shop. I growled lowly and increased my pace, starting to run across the road. A car came out from the left side, which only gave me a few seconds to react.

I pushed myself over the top of the car and slid across the front, landing on the other side with ease. A bus came out from the right, obscuring my vision and making me temporarily lose sight of my target. I slammed the side of the bus with my fist and ran around the back of it, ignoring the angry pedestrians and drivers calling me hundreds of names under the sun.

I caught sight of the canine's tail as it zipped into the flower shop. I heard a few screams from women as I entered the shop. I panted heavily and noticed the canine at the back of the shop, pushing a few female elephants to the side, which caused a few flowers displays to topple over and land on the floor.

I frowned at the woman behind the counter and ran through the flower shop, eventually following the canine out of the back door and into a shady alleyway, which was cloaked in darkness. Rain came by faster than anything I'd ever seen in my life. I groaned as my jacket was soaked almost immediately, and I tripped over a rebar lying on the ground.

I panted heavily and pushed myself to my feet, while looking around for the thief. I glanced to my right, at the only way out of the alleyway, and noticed that it was blocked off. I could see a glimpse of daylight over the top of the barricade, but everything else nearby was cloaked in an unusual darkness.

I looked up and noticed a large canopy shielding the sun from the alleyway, but letting the rain come through. I slowly started walking forward, following the smell of the thief, "Come out!" I exclaimed, still panting heavily. I could feel my stamina slowly return as I got my breath back. I raised my nose in the air and tried the pin-point the location of the canine.

I glanced to my left as I heard some glass smash, followed by a can rolling away from a wooden pallet. I slowly approached it, only to be knocked down by the thief. I watched him run towards the barricade on all fours, while holding my wallet between his sharp teeth.

I caught up to him rather quickly, tackling the strong canine to the ground. I pried the wallet from his mouth and fell backwards, landing on the cement behind him. He growled and approached me, his fur standing on end, and his teeth bared. I backed away slowly, until I felt something metal rest against the fur on the back of my head.

I paused and turned around to see the rabbit from earlier holding a gun to my head, "Wallet." She was holding a mobile phone in her left paw, with some sort of app on it. It had my picture on it! Along with my credit card number, and all of my information!

"What the…?" I stared at her with a shocked look. She growled and snatched the wallet from me, turning around and rummaging through it.

"Pin him." She muttered. As soon as those two words were uttered, I was being held down by the canine that I was pursuing. I didn't dare move, because if I did, there was the chance that they would've killed me. She tossed my wallet back to me, completely empty, save for my license.

She knelt down to my level and stroked my fur with a grin, "Welcome to Zootropolis." She fired the gun beside my ear, causing me to hold my ears in pain. The loud ringing sound tore through my ears and forced me to whimper and curl up. I watched the canine walk over to her with a grin and stand beside her.

The rabbit tossed me a carrot stick and grinned at me, turning to walk away, with her canine goon following her close behind. I laid on the cement, curled up in a ball, as the rain continued to soak me.

After a few minutes, I regained my strength and pushed myself to my feet. I picked up my wallet and looked through it, with only my drivers license still in there. I cursed to myself and slowly walked towards the barricade.

How the hell was I going to be able to pay my rent now? Hundreds of thoughts passed through my mind as I pushed myself over the barricade and back onto the bustling streets of Zootropolis.

Had nobody heard the gunshot? Because when I landed on the ground, everybody was going on about their day as if nothing had happened. I panted heavily and glanced to my right, noticing a sign resting on the corner of the street.

I felt through my pockets for my phone and breathed a sigh of a relief as I noticed that it was still there. I tried to switch it on, but to no avail. I must've left it on during the day, because it had zero battery left.

I lowered the phone with a groan and glanced back at the sign. It was a street sign, but right below it, there was a sign coated in blue paint with the words; 'Police Precinct 4' printed on it. I sighed and went in the direction of the police station. Hopefully I'd be able to get my money back.

 **Whoa...the action begins already, huh?**

 **Hope you all are enjoying this so far!**

 **\- RSM**


	4. Chapter Four - Homeless

**I've decided to make this story go in a particular way, which is similar to what Zootopia _was_ going to be. If you wanna completely spoil it, go ahead and check out what Zootopia's story was gonna be like. I really like this idea, and I fell in love with it instantly. I hope you enjoyed the fourth chapter.**

It didn't take me long to find the police station. It was a few blocks east of where the sign was. I pushed myself through a small crowd of anthros near the front door. I felt a leg in front of me and tripped over it, landing on the ground. I heard some laughter, followed by the crowd dissipating. I sighed as I pushed through the glass doors and into the police station.

I exhaled as I was hit by a wave of cold air from the air conditioner above me. I rubbed my paws together and frowned as I slowly approached the large counter in the centre of the station. There were dozens of different anthros walking in different directions. Some were speaking amongst each-other, while others were taking part in a press conference at the back of the police station.

I stopped approaching the counter and peered around it. I looked up above the counter, at a cement wall with a large shield and two swords either side of it. I folded my arms and walked around the counter, approaching a massive glass window.

I peered inside and rubbed my eyes as a flash from a camera came through the glass. I blinked and peered through the glass again, noticing a moose dressed in a police uniform resting against a podium, while answering questions from what looked to be the press. I wasn't sure if I was allowed in there, so I cracked the door open slightly and peered inside.

"...It's been a week since the last report," The moose was responding to a question by one of the members of the press sitting at the front of the crowd, "Since then, we've gotten no word from any of the southern precincts."

The moose frowned and pointed to a woman in the back, "Yes, your question?"

"Chief Corr, what are you going to do about the recent robberies in the disadvantaged districts?" She asked, lowering her camera and pulling out her notebook. I assumed it was to take down notes of the response that the moose gave her.

"Well..." The moose trailed off, "Due to the recent robberies there, we've sent out a few more police officers, but we can't do anymore than that. We need more of them on the front lines after the recent murders and disappearances of prey."

The room practically exploded in questions and collective gasps as he said that, "Chief Corr! Are you saying that you don't care about the more urban districts of Zootropolis?"

"Corr! Corr! What about the people being murdered in the south sides of town?!" A male in the front exclaimed. The chief sighed heavily.

"Everyone calm down...we're still working on it. Please, no further questions." He thanked the press and walked down from the stage. I gasped as I felt a paw rest on my shoulder. I closed the door and turned around, noticing a fox standing in front of me, with his paws on his hips.

I stared at him, taking in his unnatural appearance. He had an eye-patch on his right eye, with part of a large scar peeking out from below the black patch. He muzzle was scarred, and he had a new scar on the bottom of his muzzle, "You're bleeding.." I muttered.

He didn't care for what I had to say, he just stared at me with a bored expression on his muzzle, "You aren't supposed to be there," He muttered, "Is there something you needed?" I frowned and nodded, rubbing my shoulder nervously and looking down at the floor. He sighed and turned around, glancing at the front counter.

He wiped some blood off of his muzzle and led me towards the front counter. I looked up at him and rubbed my paws together. The front desk was twice the size of me, so I had to jump atop of the desk so that I could see behind it.

The fox came around the back of the counter and sat at the front desk, "Usually Bonnie handles the people at the front desk, but he's off doing something or other," The fox sighed and glanced at me, "How can I help?"

"O-Okay," I sat on the edge of the counter, "It was only a petty robbery, but..." I sighed softly, "I chased this canine through the streets. I eventually cornered him out the back of a flower shop or something...and this woman came out of nowhere and pulled a gun on me!"

"Description of the woman?" The fox glanced at me, with a raised eyebrow, "It was a rabbit, about my size...shit, I can't remember...she was running a stand of some sort?"

"What about the canine?" The fox was writing down the information, "What did he look like?"

"I don't remember anything about what he looked like...save for a black jacket..." I frowned at the fox. I looked down at his chest and took note of a name-tag on the left side of his uniform.

"What's your name?" The fox turned to look at me again.

"It's Clyde...C-Clyde Donovan.." I responded, "The money in my wallet was to pay for my rent, Officer Foxy..." The fox paused and shook his head.

"Clyde Donovan...wanted for multiple robberies and break-ins in the desert district of Zootropolis..." He read off a computer screen, then glanced over at me. I stared at him wide-eyed.

"I-I only just got in town!" I exclaimed. I jumped down from the desk, only to be grabbed by a canine police officer, and a rabbit police officer. Officer Foxy peered over the counter with a frown as I struggled to break free from the officers holding me down.

I eventually found myself staring at bars in a disgusting cell. I could hear screams of anthros in the cells begging to be freed, or just screaming at each-other for something or other. I sat beside my bed and curled up into a ball, my legs digging into my chest.

I remember waking up some-time later to the sound of somebody banging against the cell bars. I opened my eyes and glanced at the cell door as it was opened. Officer Foxy came through the door and frowned at me. I took note of a large scar beneath his chin, and a few claw marks on his neck.

Something had gone down while I was out. Officer Foxy helped me up in silence and led me out of the cell block, and out into the main floor, where he escorted me to the front desk. I jumped onto the desk and stared at him wide-eyed.

"What the hell was that shit!?" I exclaimed. Officer Foxy winced and held his neck with one his paws. I stared at him with an angry expression on my face, and my fists clenched.

"Our database had you marked as a wanted criminal..." Officer Foxy explained, "But then we looked back, and saw that you've only been in this town. We followed up on the claims, and they all turned up false."

"I was in a cell for half a god-damn day!" I jumped down from the counter. Officer Foxy peered over the desk and muttered something to myself as I slowly walked towards the doors.

I glanced back at him. His ears were lowered and he was scratching his muzzle. I turned back around and flipped him off, as I walked through the glass doors.

I froze as I stepped one foot out of the station. It was pitch black, save for a few broken streetlights, and the headlights of cars driving past. I cursed to myself and started walking in the direction of my apartment. I increased my pace as I started to feel like the darkness was consuming me.

I wasn't afraid of the darkness. But after going through all of that in one day, and having to walk home in the darkness, with no phone, no money, and no people knowing where I was.

I stopped in my tracks as I saw a group of shady anthros walking in my direction ahead of me. I quickly got out of their way, stumbling into a nearby alleyway. I sighed softly and rubbed my paws together. My jacket seemed to shield me from the cold less and less as time passed.

I froze as I felt a pair of paws on my shoulders. I was pushed against a wall and turned around, so I could see my attacker. I was pinned against the wall heavily by a wolf, similar to the one from earlier.

"A message from the boss!" He exclaimed, as I tried to pry him off of me.

I groaned as my attacker slammed his elbow against my neck and proceeded to choke me. I tried to pry him off me, but he overpowered me quickly. I glanced at his low-cut shirt and immediately noticed his muscles tensing up. There was no way in hell that I would've been able to overpower him.

"No...witnesses…!" The wolf exclaimed in a gruff tone.

I could feel my throat clog up quickly, and I was struggling to breath. I lifted my leg and kicked him in the balls. He winced and pulled his elbow away, resting his paws on my neck and crushing it as hard as he could. My vision had slowly started to fade, before I collapsed onto the ground.

I looked up, only to see a flash of brown run by and tackle the wolf. I coughed heavily and was brought to my feet by a pair of brown paws and thrown onto the street. I panted heavily and pushed my self to my feet, running down the path and out of view from anyone else.

I eventually made it to my apartment. I stumbled through the front door and ran up the stairs. I eventually made it to my shitty room. I pulled the key to my apartment out of my pocket and rested it against the lock. My paws were shaking heavily, so it made it almost impossible for me to get the key into the rusty lock.

I slipped the key in and turned it, pushing the door open. I muttered something to myself as one of the hinges came off the door. I walked inside and snatched the key, slamming the door behind me. I felt myself break down as I collapsed onto my bed. I cried into my paws and curled up in a ball, still reeling after all of the events today.

And there I was. Sitting on my bed with the noises outside making familiar sounds that I was all too used to. I'd been here before in my mind somewhere, and I wasn't sure of how things were going to work before this point. But there I was, as I have previously mentioned, just lying still, with my paws cupped over my eyes.

I panted heavily and moved my paws away, only to notice my door was cracked open a little, and the man who had given me the room was standing there.

I got up from the bed as the door opened fully. I never really took notice of what he looked like, but now that I actually had some time, I immediately took in his appearance. He was a rather horse with a brute physique and strong shoulders. He was completely black, save for a few bruises on his face.

"I'm here for the money," He muttered, "I needed the rent upfront, remember?"

"I-I don't have it!" I exclaimed, getting up from my bed, "I was robbed! Th-Then I went to the police station and I was thrown in a cell…!"

"No excuses. Money now, or you're gone," He held out his hoof. I stared at him as if he was mad and felt tears well up in my eyes, "Not everyone in this place offers hand-outs. Pay up, or you're gone."

I stood outside of the apartment complex, in the rain. My backpacks and suitcases were lying beside me. I heard the front door of the complex slam, and I sat on the curb. I tried to shield my suitcases and backpack from the rain.

I noticed a black car coming around a nearby corner. I watched it slowly drive along the road. I noticed it start to speed up as it got closer, with me staring at it wide-eyed as it drove through a massive puddle of water, dousing me in freezing water.

I cursed at the driver and pushed myself to my feet, grabbing my backpack and two suitcases. I froze as I heard the car come to a stop further down the road. I started backing away in the opposite direction as the car started to turn around.

I ran in the other direction, as far as I could from the driver. God, what was wrong with this fucking city!? I ran into a desolate street, where all the street lights were smashed, and there were no cars.

I stopped in my tracks and sat on the curb, resting my suitcases and backpack on the ground beside me again. I didn't care about the rain anymore. The only thoughts on my mind right now, were of home.

Of how my father would be disappointed in me. Maybe I should've just gone home? Maybe I should've just...left. Who really gave a shit about me anyway? It took me a few seconds to process that the car from before had stopped in front of me, and the passenger door was opened.

I looked up and panted heavily, freezing as I noticed a familiar bear in the driver's seat. He frowned at me and bit his lip;

"Get in."

 **I feel so bad for Clyde. He's been through so much shit in the first day alone…**

 **...but maybe things aren't so bad?**

 **\- RSM**


	5. Chapter Five - Ride Home

It was him. That bear from the cafe in the worst district of the city. Why the hell was he staring at me? Had he followed me or something? I spent the next few minutes staring at him, with him staring back at me. I looked down and bit my lip, trying to avoid eye-contact.

"W-What do you want…?" I choked on my tears. I flinched as I heard the sound of a door closing. I sighed and continued staring at the floor. The bear must've not given a shit about me, cause I heard a door close, and awaited for the car drive off.

But it didn't. I looked up to see the bear walking around the front of the car and approaching me. I stared at him with a confused expression as he raised an umbrella over my head, "Why are you sitting in the rain?"

I just stared at him, like he had told a bad joke or something. He was standing in the rain, holding the umbrella above me, with a frown on his face. He wasn't wearing the apron that he had been wearing earlier that day, instead, he was wearing a blue jacket with a white undershirt, with a pair of black jeans and green sneakers.

It took me a couple minutes to register that he was trying to talk to me. I eventually snapped back into reality as I pushed myself to my feet and picked up my backpack and suitcases, "I-I didn't mean what I said earlier. I was just angry...please don't hurt me.."

"It's no big deal," The bear shrugged, accidently dropping the umbrella to the ground. He cursed to himself and quickly grabbed it, raising it above my head again. I had to admit, it wasn't the warmest and driest umbrella in the world, but it kept the rain off of me, so I didn't complain, "I saw you on the curb and I recognised you immediately."

"Why did you come back?" I asked with a frown, "I don't even know who you are...except that you work at a cafe.." He shook his head and led me towards his car. It was similar to a four-wheel drive, as it had a step that was half a metre of so off of the ground. I tripped on the step and groaned as my knee connected with the metal.

He sighed and helped me into the passenger seat, "I meant to say watch your step, but I forgot," He chuckled a little, "Sorry, dude." I didn't respond, I just held my knee and sat in the passenger seat, while staring ahead. He grabbed my suitcases and backpack and rested them in the back-seat, before going around the front of the car and getting back in via the driver's seat.

He shut the door, muffling the heavy rain outside. He adjusted his bow-tie and glanced in my direction, "I can't believe I just got into a stranger's car," I muttered, "What am I, stupid?"

"Quite possibly," He cracked a small smile. I glanced at him in disbelief and shook my head, "I'm sorry. You look quite beat, I was just trying to cheer you up."

"Long day..." I murmured. He sighed and relaxed into his seat. I followed his gaze, which caused my eyes to drift towards the windscreen as the rain started to increase in size. A bigger storm seemed to be on the way, and the bear started to get the hint. He glanced at me while reaching for the ignition.

"You didn't tell me why you were outside," He rested one of his paws on the steering wheel, "Did something happen?" I didn't answer. I was still thinking about dozens of different things, that I didn't notice him twist the key and switch on the car.

"Are you homeless?" I glanced at him as the car turned on. I frowned and looked down, my ears flopping against my head. I didn't know why I felt so embarassed admitting something like this around a total stranger.

Maybe it was because I was used to being constantly loved and having everything handed to me on a silver platter? I nodded, while covering my eyes with my ears.

I could hear him muttering something to himself before he rested a paw on my shoulder, "I never caught your name." He had said. I uncovered my eyes and looked at him in disbelief.

I knew for a fact that he wasn't like anyone else in Zootropolis. Almost everyone I had met since I got there were either assholes, or uninterested in spending any time talking to me. Was it because I am a rabbit? Or was it because I just wasn't worth talking to?

It didn't matter in this current situation though. Because no matter what anyone else saw in me, for some reason, this bear actually wanted to talk to me. I was sitting in his car for crying out loud!

"It's Clyde..." I muttered. He nodded and cracked a small smile.

"Frederick's my name," He extended his paw. I extended my arm cautiously and shook his paw gently, "But call me Freddy."

"I'll be sure to," I felt my face heat up, and a small smile creeped onto my face, "So...c-can you give me a ride?"

"Where to? Home?" He asked, resting his paws on the steering wheel. I muttered to myself as I realised I didn't answer his question regarding me being homeless or not.

"I don't have a home anymore..." I muttered, "Only been here one day and I've lost my home, been robbed, been beaten, been cursed at and had a gun pointed at my head..."

"Really?" Freddy tilted his head, "Gosh, dude. You're really unlucky it seems," He took his paws off of the steering wheel, "You went the police station, right?"

"Oh yeah, more garbage to add to my problem bucket-list," I slammed my paw against my knee, "I went into the police station and literally spent maybe a few minutes or so looking around before I was grabbed by two cops and thrown into a cell for no discernible reason!" I exclaimed, trying to express my frustration to somebody that wasn't my inner thoughts, "I've never even spent time in a cell before then..."

He frowned and glanced at the steering wheel again, "Tough break, Clyde," He sighed, "So...where to, then?"

"I dunno...the airport or something, I just want to go home..." I didn't notice it at the time, but tears were trailing down my face. If my father had seen me like this, he would've launched a campaign to destroy the city or something for making his 'precious son' cry.

I never cry. Ever. It doesn't matter the situation. But somehow, after all of these things happening, I had managed to have cried more than I have ever done in my entire life. I looked back over at him. I was a little confused at the saddened expression on his face, as if he – out of all strangers – actually felt sympathy for me.

"Did..." He bit his lip, "Did you want to stay at my place?" He finished, glancing over at me. It took me a few seconds to process what he had propositioned to me, "I-I mean. It isn't a fancy place...it's pretty much crap, but...I'd be happy to let you stay for as long as you needed to."

"I've seen too many people come to this town trying to make something of themselves, only to be burned on the first day," He muttered. He rested his foot against the accelerator and turned the wheel so that the car moved towards the road, "You said you wanted to become a professional photographer?"

I nodded in response to this, which caused him to grin slightly as he turned into another street, "Dreams never die on the first day. No matter what happens," He tightened his grip on the wheel, "You'll never become a professional photographer if you leave early..."

I nodded and turned to look out of the window, "Do you say that to all of the people you meet?" I could feel his eyes burning in the back of my skull as I said that.

"Only the people who really need to hear it." He responded. I sighed softly as our conversation seemed to finish. The urban areas outside – the small houses and decrepit apartment buildings – were slowly starting to fade into obscurity as I breathed against the window.

I blinked and waited a few seconds before wiping the window so I could see outside again. I could see dozens of cars driving past us now, as I took in our new surroundings. It was a moderately busy street that reminded me of Park Street in New Fur City. The product placement billboards and the bad music playing outside, while people were running around the footpaths trying to cover themselves from the rain as if it was acid burning against their fur and scales.

It was unfamiliar. And it scared me. This wasn't the calm countryside that I was used to, with all of the friendly faces that I saw at school and in town everyday, these are people that I'll never get to know, or even get to glance at, and that depressed me a little.

As we slowed down to turn into another street, a particular billboard caught my attention. Instead of it being a product placement, like a new can of Scalebrawn, or the newest television series, which was really a rip-off or spin-off of another series. It was something that hit me really close to home. And it stirred feelings inside me that I hadn't felt for a long time.

The billboard had a picture of a wolf bearing his teeth, and had a static image of a foreign toothbrush brand that I didn't even try to read. The teeth caught my attention, and I immediately remembered something that I had wanted to forget for so long.

I think I was fifteen, or fourteen. Early teenage years of course, but I couldn't remember my exact age. I used to go to the local school, which only had a few hundred students from our small town – which only had a population of a thousand or so mind you – and we only had a few teachers that taught every subject.

I was very shy and introverted – which caused me to become an outcast during school, and I rarely got to socialise with anybody that wasn't my family – and I kept my distance from everyone in the narrow hallway leading outside.

The final bell for the day had gone a few minutes before, but most of the students were speaking with each-other in the hallways and not leaving the school. I held my head low as I approached the front door, pushing the glass door to the side and starting to walk down the stairs.

I felt a pair of paws on my back, which caused me to fall down the snow-covered stairs and into a pile of the white sheets of snow at the bottom of the stairs. I groaned and shakily tried to push myself to my feet, but I was slammed back onto the ground as I felt a foot against my back.

"Hey look, it's the prey..." I heard the dreaded voice of Canis – our high-school bully – above me. I cursed to myself as he leant down and laughed near my ears. I grimaced as I felt his heavy breath against my ears, causing my fur to stand on end. I pushed myself to my feet, only to have my ears grabbed by the canine. I whimpered as I was lifted into the air, above the canine's shoulders.

He bared his teeth and growled at me, while pushing his nose against my snout, "Look at the prey..." He chuckled maniacally and gnashed his jaws at me, with only an inch away from my face. I whimpered and cowered, curling up in a ball as he still held me by my ears.

"You see these teeth, little rabbit?" He bared his teeth again, causing me to wince and whimper, "These can tear you apart when you're not looking...watch your back little one..." He laughed and threw me into the snow. I groaned and curled up in the snow, as my tormentor walked away while laughing. I closed my eyes and wiped my tears away, as the canine turned around a corner and out of sight.

I panted heavily as I rested against the window of the car. Freddy had stopped the car in front of a small building, with a small path leading up to the front door. The rain seemed to have ceased, but the grey clouds above still remained as Freddy switched off the engine.

I glanced at him with a frown as he got out of the car and walked around the front, opening the passenger side door, "You coming..?" He asked, in a smooth tone. I nodded and got out of the car, while Freddy pulled my backpack and suitcases from the back-seat and handed them to me.

I shivered as a sudden gust of wind brushed past me. Freddy frowned and wrapped an arm around me, while slowly approaching his house. I felt my face heat up as he looked over at me with a smile, "I hope you'll like the place..." I smiled back at him as he took his arm off of me and pulled a silver key from his pocket.

I rubbed my paws together as he inserted the key into the lock and turned it gently. He pushed the door open and walked inside, pausing to hold it open for me. I smiled warmly at him and walked inside. He shut the door and took off his jacket, resting it on a coat-rack beside the door. I noticed him staring at me as I turned to glance at him.

"It's a crappy house...but...it's all I got, honestly." He smiled at me. I shook my head with a small smile and glanced back at my suitcases.

"Better than not having a house at all..." I muttered, my ears lowering against my head. He frowned and rubbed his shoulder with a nervous expression on his face. He glanced at the end of a nearby corridor, then back to me with a smile on his face;

"I'll show you to your room."

 **A longer chapter, but thanks for reading!**

 **\- RSM**


	6. Chapter Six - The Collar

He led me into a room which was rather big for a bedroom. It had a walk-in closet, and posters that covered the walls. Some of them were pictures of 'Gazelle' – the pop star from Zootopia – and Lionheart. This was a pleasant surprise, as I was a big fan of his music!

There was a large dresser beside the bed, with hundreds of grey kitten stickers on the side of it. I glanced at Freddy with a grin, then looked back at the bed.

At the time, I didn't really consider if this was Freddy's room or not, so I didn't bring it up at the time. But the room was amazing for a bedroom! I walked inside and rested my soaked backpack and suitcase on the cold wooden floor beside the bed. I sighed and brushed some water off my shoulder.

"There's a shower in the opposite room," He said, pointing to a door across the hall, "Go ahead and take one." I smiled at him in response.

"Thanks, seriously," I sighed happily, "I never would have expected anyone to really give a s-" I paused, "I mean...crap about me, just because I'm just another rabbit with dreams. You know? I really owe you for this.."

"You don't owe me anything," He turned to leave, "If you need anything, I'm in the living room." I watched him leave and grinned, walking out of my new room and across the hallway, into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I took off my soaked shirt and hung it on a nearby rack, followed by my jeans. I rested my shoes under the rack and took off my boxers shortly after, resting it at the end of the rack.

I slowly approached the door and locked it, turning to face the shower afterwards. I stared at it in awe. For a house that looked so bad on the outside, how could they afford such a modern shower? It had glass doors, and a modern shower-handle that can be detached from the wall.

I opened the shower door gently, so I didn't smash it or anything, and stepped inside, shutting the glass door behind me. I turned on the faucet and rested against the back of the shower, the cold tiles resting against my fur, as the warm water started to soak through my thick fur.

I ran my paws down my body and started cleaning it, sighing happily as I started to experience one of the best showers I'd ever had. Back in my home town, we didn't even have showers. We literally had wells with facets that we had to use, not beautiful and modern showers like these!

I closed my eyes and let the water take over me, exhaling shakily at the amazing feeling I was feeling at the time. After a few seconds, I grabbed a bar of soap and cleaned myself almost completely, resting the bar of soap down. I reached to the top of the shower and snatched a bottle of conditioner.

After dousing my hair in conditioner, I washed the rest of my body before switching off the faucet. I opened the glass door and stepped out of the shower, approaching the rack that didn't have my clothes on it, and snatched a black towel, wrapping it around my fur.

I sighed happily and wrapped the towel just beneath my chest and below my thighs, so I didn't get embarassed as I opened the bathroom door. I walked across the hall and back into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I dropped my towel and slipped on a pair of purple pyjama pants with grey kittens on them.

I decided against putting on a shirt and boxers, so I just shut my backpack and put it back down on the floor. I rubbed my eyes and walked out of my bedroom in silence, looking down the hallway with a confused expression on my face.

I saw Freddy speaking with somebody in the living room. It was a bear that was taller than him, wearing a green sweater and blue jeans, "Yeah, and we're going to sort it out ourselves."

"That's good to hear, dad," Freddy smiled, "Now, actually, I do have something to tell you-" I walked into the living room, interrupting their conversation.

"Hi..." I greeted quietly, waving awkwardly. The taller bear glanced at me with a confused expression, then glanced over at Freddy.

"Whose this, Freddy?" He asked, in a calm tone.

"This is a friend..." Freddy turned to glance at me, "He's homeless, and he needs somewhere to stay for a while. Be nice to him, dad." I glanced at the other bear. So this was Freddy's father? They didn't look too different from each-other, so that explained it very well.

His father grinned and walked over to me. I cowered slightly, as he was almost twice the size of me. He unfolded his arms and extended his paw, "You can call me Frederick Senior." He said, as I outstretched my paw and shook his cautiously.

"Dad..." Freddy grinned. His father shook my hand rather brutally before letting go and giving me a small smile of assurance that he didn't completely hate me yet.

"I'm kidding, of course. Just call me Senior or something," He shrugged and glanced back over at Freddy, "We'll continue this conversation later, son. It's late."

I glanced at the clock for the first time all night and gasped. It was almost two am in the morning, "Well, get some sleep kid. This town is an asshole to newcomers for some reason..." Senior pet me on the back before walking down the hallway. Freddy frowned at me as I turned to look at him.

"Your father seems nice," I smiled at him, "I wish my father was here. I think he and your father would get along great..." I looked down. I looked back up to see him lying on the couch which I had laid my gear behind earlier.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for this. You're awesome," I grinned and rested my paws against the back of the couch, "If there's ever anything I can do, please let me know." Freddy nodded, while looking away from me. I felt myself frown as I turned and started walking down the hallway towards my room.

The hallway's walls were dotted with half a dozen framed pictures of what seemed to be Freddy's family. One of them was a younger Freddy with his father and a woman in the picture. Maybe it was his mother? Three more of them were just Freddy along, wearing glasses.

They were probably school pictures. I laughed on the inside, as I knew that school pictures were always so cringy to look at when you're older. I stopped at my door and turned to look down the hallway. I could see the back of Freddy's head resting against the back of the couch. I sighed and walked into my room, shutting the door gently behind me.

I adjusted my pyjama pants and switched on the ceiling fan. I glanced at the window and slowly pulled the curtain closed, sitting on the side of the bed shortly after. I was sitting on the side of somebody elses bed, instead of sleeping on the curb. I couldn't tell if I was lucky or not.

I pulled myself onto the bed and laid down, making myself comfortable. I pulled the sheet and blanket over the top of me and curled up. I exhaled shakily and closed my eyes, eventually passing off into sleep.

I was awoken abruptly sometime later as I heard something fall onto the floor. I opened my eyes and pushed myself up, looking around with a confused expression. I pushed the covers off of me gently and sat on the side of my bed. I stretched and yawned, feeling my shoulder pop slightly as I bent my arms around the back of my head.

I glanced at the dresser and noticed that my suitcase had fallen off the side. I cursed to myself and bent down, putting all of my stuff back into my backpack. I paused as I noticed something lying beside my suitcase. I moved my suitcase to the side and got off my bed, kneeling down to get a closer look at the object.

It was a collar. Like, similar to a collar that was used to domesticate animals thousands of years ago. It was completely black, with a few blue buttons on the top. It was like a larger version of a digital watch, without the clock. I picked it up and inspected it, glancing at the door.

The door was shut and the dresser was unopened. I must've just bumped the suitcase over in my sleep or something. I let my curiosity get the better of me as I slipped the collar over the top of my head and onto my neck.

Before I knew it, a powerful electric shock went through my body, and half a dozen metal wires were attached to my neck. I groaned and coughed as I felt that my lungs had stopped working.

The electric shock stopped after a few seconds. I looked down at my neck, but I couldn't see the collar. I pushed myself to my feet, still groaning heavily from the intense pain going through my body at the moment. I panted heavily and opened my door, stumbling into the hallway.

I groaned as I fell onto the bathroom door, pushing the door open, and forcing me to land on the cold-hard tiles. I grunted and coughed as the pain subsided. I could hair a pair of footsteps approaching fast, and I didn't have any time to react before Freddy was standing about me, shirtless, and wearing a black tracksuit.

"What the…?!" He exclaimed, his eyes widening. He knelt beside me and shook me, as if I was unconscious, "Clyde? Clyde, what's going on?" He rested a paw on my neck and winced as he touched the collar.

"Shit..." He muttered, standing up. Senior came out from behind him and looked down at me with a frown.

"What the hell happened, Frederick?" He glanced at his son.

"He's wearing a collar..." Freddy asked, "H-How did he get one!? Prey don't wear them!" His father looked down at me, then looked back at his son.

"It's your collar," He muttered, poking his son on the shoulder, "Why the _hell_ aren't you wearing your collar!?" He exclaimed, gnashing his teeth at the younger bear. Freddy whimpered and shook his head.

"I-I didn't think we co-..." His father raised his hand.

"Stop talking. Help me get him up." Senior and Freddy helped me to my feet. I glanced at the mirror and saw the collar had somehow changed colour, to the colour of my fur.

It was hardly noticeable! And why did he mention that this was Freddy's collar? Was this family into bondage or something?! I groaned as I felt Senior's paws on my neck, digging his claws into my fur, trying to get the collar off of me.

"This is gonna hurt a little..." He pressed a button and the metal wires retracted from my neck, sending another electrical shock through my body. The collar fell to the floor and smashed on the tiles. Freddy cursed to himself as his father stared at the broken collar.

"God-damn it Frederick," He muttered, "Now we're gonna need to buy another one for you!" Freddy's ears flattened against his head.

His father frowned at me and pet me on the shoulder, before sending me off to bed. I walked into my room and laid down, staring at the wall.

I didn't sleep at all that night.

It was only another few hours before I woke up again. I walked out of my bedroom and into the bathroom to wash my face. I looked up at the mirror with a frown. I could see the bruise from the collar on my neck. I pulled up my black jacket so it covered the bruise a little and adjusted my shirt.

Beneath the black jacket, was a green shirt with the words; 'Meme lord' on the centre of the shirt. I pulled up my fly on my jeans and switched on the faucet, resting my paws beneath it and splashing the water against my face. I sighed and switched off the faucet, walking out of the bathroom with folded arms.

I noticed Freddy sitting on the couch with a large frown on his face. My ears flattened as I went around to the front of the couch and sat beside him, "I'm sorry about last night," Freddy looked over at me, "I must've left it out..."

"My room is your bedroom isn't it?" I asked, "I could've just slept on the couch."

"I'd never let a guest sleep on the couch," Freddy shrugged and folded his arms, "Especially someone down on their luck. I feel like you deserve anything more than a couch."

"Thanks, seriously," I responded, grinning at him, "You're the nicest person I've ever met." I swear I could see him blush as I said this. I relaxed into the couch and looked ahead at the television.

It was the news – of course – and a female snow leopard was speaking about some war going on in another continent, "So. You don't work Fridays?" I asked him. Freddy glanced at me and shook his head.

"I do, but I can't leave the house without the collar." He responded. Before I could ask about the collars, the news changed to a familiar image. It was the room in the police station with the press speaking to 'Chief Corr'. The moose from Precinct 4, who was speaking to the press.

It was filler for a few seconds, answering questions that didn't matter, and eventually made it towards the end of the conference, "Due to the recent robberies there, we've sent out a few more police officers," He said, with a poor cameraman recording this, "But we can't do anything more than that. We need more of them on the front lines after the recent murders and disappearances of prey."

Freddy cleared his throat, "He's so full of shit," He muttered, "He doesn't care about us at all. He's making all of this up." I turned to look at him.

"How do you know that?" I asked. He frowned and shook his head.

"I don't...b-but, god. He's making us all look bad..." His ears flattened. I paused and realised I had something on my mind that needed to be answered.

"What's with the collars?" I asked, with a frown. He bit his lip and folded his arms, "Freddy? The collars? Why do you and your father have a collar?"

"It isn't just my family that wears them..." Freddy muttered, turning to glance at me,

"All predators wear the collars."

 **Not a big plot-twist. But we're about six chapters in! Thanks for readin'!**

 **\- RSM**


	7. Chapter Seven - Savage

**Chapter seven. Here we go!**

I froze as he said this. What the hell did he mean? Was this all just a sick joke? 'All predators wear the collars'. What kind of bullshit was this?

"You're full of it," I muttered, catching him off-guard, "Why would every predator wear a collar? And how come I've never seen a single collar since I've gotten here?" Freddy pushed himself off the couch and approached the window. He pulled the curtains to the side the beckoned me over. I approached him cautiously and stood beside him.

Out the front of the house, on the footpath. There were a few dozen different species of anthros walking back and forth. I glanced at Freddy with a confused expression, "Look closer." I looked back through the window.

I narrowed my eyes as I noticed a female tiger walking past the house, while on the phone to somebody. I saw the indentations of the collar on her neck. It was camouflaged so it was exactly the same colour as their fur, which is exactly what happened to me when I put it on!

I glanced back at Freddy with a frown. He closed the curtains and walked away from the window, looking away from me, "Thousands of years ago. Predator and prey were engaged in wars of savage proportions. It was survival of the fittest, and nobody was able to feel anything other than fear and anger."

"Apparently, a tiger somehow managed to become sentient. Nobody knows why, but he...well 'rebelled' against the savagery that was the world before ours," Freddy sat down on the couch, while I watched him in awe, "More of us started to do the same, until we began to think for ourselves, like we do now."

"But...why do the predators have the collars?" I repeated, my frown returning to my face shortly after.

"I don't know if it's right," Freddy bit his lip, "But from what I know, about two hundred or so years ago, predators were apparently beginning to return to their savage state, which I find hard to believe, right?"

I nodded in response to this, "I guess..."

"Well. A rabbit by the name of Silverstone Ross – who was one of the first mayors of this town – made a law where predators needed to wear collars after the string of murders and disappearances. They're supposed to make sure all of the predators follow what the prey want us to do, at least that's my opinion. I think they're really just supposed to make sure we don't go savage." Freddy finished.

"Gosh, exposition much?" I sat beside him, "That shit is crazy, dude..."

"It's awful," Freddy frowned, "I can bet you any money, that the prey are using predator for their personal pleasures," He unfolded his arms, "No, not that way. I mean menial work and stuff."

"Do some predators _actually_ go savage?" I asked, genuinely curious. He nodded in response.

"A few of them, yes. A lion, a snow leopard, a polar bear and a wolf..." Freddy responded.

"Where are they now?" I folded my arms, sinking my teeth gently into my bottom lip.

"Nobody knows," Freddy replied, "They all vanished soon after they went savage."

"What about that place...Zootopia? They had a similar issue, right? With the berries making some animals savage?" I shrugged.

"They already investigated it," Freddy answered, "They think they've completely stopped the berry production."

"So...every predator wears the collars?" I asked.

Freddy nodded with a sigh, "Unfortunately, yeah."

"Why haven't I ever heard of this?" I bit my lip.

"Maybe because you've lived in the middle of nowhere for all of your life?" He asked, "I don't mean any disrespect, sorry."

"It's cool," I shrugged, "I don't disagree. I did live in the middle of nowhere." We both stopped talking as the front door opened and Senior walked inside, holding a few bags in his paws.

"Mornin'," He handed a bag to Freddy, "There's your collar. Put it on quick." Freddy jumped off the couch and started putting it on, while Senior started to pack groceries in the kitchen. I rubbed my paws together with a frown and glanced at the door.

"Freddy mentioned that you haven't been having any luck with job-hunting," Senior stood behind the couch. I glanced at him and nodded, "You can't really be a full-time photographer, unfortunately. That doesn't pay all of the bills."

"I know..." I sighed, "I would've loved to, but not all of us can win." I looked down. Freddy glanced at his father with a frown, then glanced at me. I sighed heavily and looked up at them.

"Just a big ball of depression, aren't I? And a day before, I was the happiest I'd ever been in the world..." I stood up and approached the door, "And here I am, pondering why I'm even bothering," I looked down, "I'm gonna go for a walk..." I walked outside and shut the door behind me.

I didn't get far before Freddy caught up to me. I rested my paws in the pockets of my jacket with Freddy by my side, "I wanted to be an ice-cream store owner, you know?" Freddy said, catching my attention. He adjusted the collar of his jacket with a sigh.

"Really?" I tilted my head to the side, "That's a pretty cool dream." I smiled at him. Freddy chuckled slightly, his smile fading shortly after.

"Turns out owning an ice-cream store is more complicated than you think," He frowned, "But you know...not everything can go the way you want," Freddy looked down at the ground as we continued down the footpath, "Right?"

"Yeah, right." I nodded and bit my lip. I turned to look at him, only to see his face heating up.

"I saw some cute pictures in the hallway," I chuckled, "I bet you cringe at the school pictures." His frown faded into a wide smile.

"Every time I see them, I feel like I just wanna vanish," Freddy laughed, "Especially the pictures of when I was like, five."

I tilted my head to the side as we turned into a more busy street, "I saw a woman in some of the pictures..." I frowned as his smile faded. What was I thinking? If his mother wasn't there, and there were pictures of her, of course that was a bad thing to mention.

He didn't seem to irritated about it, but it seemed to affect his mood, "She was a good mom," Freddy shrugged, "She and my dad split only a few years back."

"I won't ask why, it's none of my business..." I frowned. I groaned as my face was met with the brute shoulder of a taller rabbit smoking a cigar. I apologized, but he just pushed past me. Freddy frowned and led us off the path slightly, so that we were walking adjacent to it.

"I don't mind talking about it..." Freddy smiled slightly, "I feel like I can trust you anyway." I felt my face heat up at the compliment. We had only met a day or so again, and he already trusted me enough to tell me this personal stuff? Maybe there was something else going on, but I wasn't sure.

"My mom was a good person," Freddy sighed, "She always treated me like I was the best thing in the world, right? My mom and dad never fought. And then suddenly, they just split!"

"Dad told me why, but it still shocked the shit outta me..." Freddy started walking away from the path and into a path coated in green grass and narrow cobblestone pathways. I followed him closely, curious of what he had to say.

"So, turns out. My dad is into guys," Freddy chuckled nervously, "Yeah, gay. Mom was okay with it, but I didn't believe it for a second."

"What, that he was into guys, or that she was okay with it?" I responded, as a few little kids pushed past while flying different coloured kites.

"That she was okay with it," Freddy shrugged, "Cause if she was, she wouldn't have left without warning."

"I'm sorry, man," I responded, "My mom used to abuse my father. Then she took my sister and left..." I shrugged, "Haven't heard from then in years." Freddy froze and stopped in his tracks, staring at me with a shocked expression on his face, and widened eyes.

"Wow, Clyde. That's...that's awful!" He exclaimed, with a large frown on his face. I frowned and pet him on the shoulder.

"It's alright, I've gotten over it." I had to lie to him. The last thing that I wanted was for him to feel sympathy for me. He nodded in response to this and kept walking along the cobblestone path alongside me.

"Where are we going?" I asked. He shrugged and rested his paws in the pockets of his pants.

"No clue," He chuckled nervously, "I just wanted to come with you cause I have nothing to do at home." I glanced at him, noticing the indentations of the collar on his neck.

"Are the collars comfortable?" I asked, with a frown.

"Well, they aren't uncomfortable, but I'd rather not wear it," Freddy shrugged, "You can't tell them though, they don't give a crap."

"What happens if you don't wear them?" He stopped in the middle of the park and sat down on a wooden bench that was absolutely covered in curse words and graffiti.

"They say that if you don't wear them, that you go savage," Freddy said, "But sometimes I haven't worn them for days, and I never go savage."

"I meant what happens when you get caught without wearing one..." I bit my lip as I sat beside him. He relaxed into the seat and threw his arms over the back of the wooden seat, relaxing them as much as he possibly could from what I could see.

"Well, there's only rumours. Never anything official," Freddy replied, "There was this rumour about a snow leopard that wasn't wearing her collar becoming savage in the middle of a restaurant. But it was never on the news, and the police never commented on it," Freddy continued, "She was never heard from again."

"That's creepy stuff..." I sighed. He nodded in agreement and rubbed his paws together, while looking around the park. I followed his gaze to a small group of kids running around in circles.

The first kid was a small wolf, the second was a red fox, and the last one was a tiger. Freddy glanced at me, then back at them, "When have you ever seen prey working with predator?" He frowned.

"Back in my home-town, we never had any prejudices against prey or predator," I responded, "I guess you could call my town naive."

"Better than this town will ever be." Freddy shrugged.

"Well...I did kind of befriend a lion on the plane over here," I smiled at Freddy, "He was a lawyer or something."

"That's cool," He grinned, "I bet that was nice."

"Yeah.." I narrowed my eyes, "And the people at the police station...they were assholes, but...they worked together, right? I mean, a moose is a chief for crying out loud."

"I guess you have a point," Freddy nodded, "I just worry for some people. Like some of the cops at the station. There's a fox there that apparently gets beaten by some of his fellow officers. Nobody knows if it's true or not, but how fucked up would it be if it was?"

"Pretty screwed up..." I responded with a frown. I glanced back at the kids, something catching my eye almost immediately. I noticed a familiar canine walking along a nearby footpath. I pushed myself off the seat and narrowed my eyes, with Freddy looking at me with a confused expression.

"That's the bastard that robbed me!" I exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the canine. Freddy followed my gaze as I suddenly started jogging in the direction of the canine.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, as I came closer to him. I didn't notice at the time that Freddy was following me, because I was too busy focusing on getting my god-damn money back! The canine looked in my direction when I got a little too close.

His eyes widened and he started running off. I growled and bent my ears back, beginning another chase that I wasn't quite prepared for. The canine ran across a four-lane road and slid over the top of a car, landing on the other side. I ran around the back of the car and increased my pace as the canine ran into a dark alleyway.

I could see the side of his muzzle as he muttered something to himself. He ran around a narrow corner and slid across the ground as he slammed into a wooden wall, stopping him from proceeding.

"I just want my money back!" I exclaimed. Even if I didn't have a place to live where I paid for myself, I needed my money back so I could get started again. He panted heavily and backed against the wall with a terrified expression on his face.

I froze as I noticed Freddy standing beside me, panting heavily. How the hell did he manage to catch up so fast!? I slowly approached the canine, "Can I just have my money back? I swear I won't do anything stupid..."

The canine didn't respond, and instead just cowered behind a dumpster. It was as if we were the most terrifying things that he'd ever seen in his entire existence, "I'm not gonna hurt you..." I frowned.

I glanced at his neck and sighed as I noticed one of the collars hugging his neck tightly. I glanced at Freddy with a frown, who didn't seem so surprised about this, "What about the rabbit…?" I asked, "Where is she?" I wasn't sure what the point of all this was at this current point in time.

She might've been a crime boss or something! I mean, she owned a gun for christ sakes! What was I even thinking at the time? The canine whimpered and backed further away as Freddy came closer, "He's scared of you..." I glanced over at the bear with a confused expression.

Freddy turned to look at me, "Remember when you were being attacked yesterday? After you left the police station?" How did he know about that? Did I tell him? Or did he follow me?

"How did you know..?" I tilted my head, still keeping an eye on the canine.

"I just got off work, and I was driving nearby," He sighed, "I saw you go down the alleyway and I well, saved you I guess." He shrugged.

"You were the person that attacked the wolf?" My eyes widened, "Oh dude, you're awesome!" We froze as we were interrupted by the wolf.

"Please. Please don't do anything to me," The canine was having a sobbing fit, which caught our attention rather quickly, "Please don't make me look weak. If we go back weak, they'll kill us."

"What are you talking about?" Freddy glanced at him with a frown. I winced as the collar that he was wearing started to send shocks through his body. He groaned and collapsed onto the ground, shaking heavily.

Freddy and I stepped back from him as he slowly started to cease to move. Freddy's eyes narrowed as the collar beeped and stabbed the canine in the neck. After a few seconds, the wolf started to growl softly. We watched in horror as he looked up at us. His eyes were a dark colour, and we could hardly see any emotion on his face.

He bared his teeth at us, his fur standing on end. He started slowly skulking towards us on all fours. Freddy made sure that I was behind him as the wolf slowly started to approach, some syliva dripping from the wolf's bottom lip.

He was savage. Whatever had happened in the last few seconds had changed him from a cowering wolf, to the most savage of predators. Freddy didn't have time to react before the wolf pounced on him, gnashing his jaws at Freddy's face. I tried to pry the wolf off of him, but I wasn't able to.

I fell backwards and felt my head slam against a nearby wall. I grunted and held my head, trying to regain my vision as it was blurred from my head connecting with the cement. I rubbed my eyes, only to see a bullet come from the back of the alleyway pierce the wolf's skull.

Freddy screamed and pushed the corpse of the wolf off of him, forcing it to roll away a few feet. I pushed myself to my feet and ran over to Freddy, to make sure that he was alright. We looked in the direction of where the bullet came from, with widened eyes. A police officer was holding a pistol in his paws, exhaling shakily and slowly lowering the gun.

It was Officer Foxy.

 **A longer chapter, with yet more action. Let me know if my action scenes are getting better!**

 **\- RSM**


	8. Chapter Eight - Bonding

**And the eighth chapter rolls around! Let's get ROIIIIGHHHT, into the story!**

It took me a few seconds to register who he was. But after a small amount of time passed, I could easily recognise the fox from the police station. I froze as I saw another figure running down the alleyway and approaching fast, with a gun in his paw. As the rabbit came into view, I could take in his appearance more clearly.

The rabbit was covered in purple fur, and was wearing a police uniform with a golden badge on the chest pocket. He was only slightly smaller than Officer Foxy, but was still taller than me and Freddy. The rabbit lowered the gun and glanced at the fox with a frown, "What...I-I heard the gunshots! What happened?"

"I told you to stay in the car..." Officer Foxy grumbled, "Bonnie...you should've-.." The rabbit glanced at the corpse, then over to us.

"Who are they? What's going on?" Bonnie slowly approached us. At the time, I thought he was going to shoot us, but instead, he helped me to my feet and knelt beside Freddy, checking to see if he was alright. I glanced at Officer Foxy and approached him with a frown as he folded his arms.

"He was savage, Bonnie..." The fox frowned, his ears lowering against his cheeks. Bonnie's ears perked, and he immediately stood up, resting a paw on his gun just-in-case something were to happen, "I don't...I don't think he's savage..." He glanced over at Freddy, "He's wearing his collar..."

I looked back at the fox, sighing softly as I noticed the top of his collar peeking out from beneath the collar of his uniform, "What on earth happened?" Bonnie asked, looking back over at us. I walked back over to Freddy and helped him to his feet,, stroking his shoulder supportively.

"As I was g-going to say before I was dragged away to the cells," I paused so I could growl at Officer Foxy, "I was robbed at gun-point a day or so ago, and that same canine is the corpse lying...t-there..." I glanced at the corpse. I grimaced and looked away, with shivers going down my spine as I thought about the situation at hand.

"We should get back to the station..." Bonnie glanced over at his partner, resting his gun in his holster. Officer Foxy nodded and glanced at us, while following his partner back down the alleyway.

"We'll give you guys a ride to the station." Officer Foxy said, beckoning for us to follow him. I frowned and glanced back over at Freddy. He folded his arms and started walking away from me.

I sighed and followed him in silence.

I sat alone in the police station near the front door. I was staring outside a large window that showed the world outside of the police station. I still wasn't used to seeing so many different species of people in one place.

And the reality of the collars were still sinking in. I turned around, my eyes wandering around the station. Officer Foxy was sitting at the front counter, with a large frown on his muzzle. I glanced back over at the conference room where the chief had spoken to the press the day before.

Surely I wasn't the only one thinking about how the collars were cruel to the predators. I glanced back out of the window with a frown. A small fox caught my attention rather quickly. He was holding hands with a rabbit and a wolf that appeared to be his parents. I winced as I could see a small blue collar around the child's neck, and a large black collar around the wolf's neck.

"They don't seem to have any problems with it..." I muttered to myself, "I mean...I don't like the whole situation but...who am I to judge? I'm not a predator..." I pondered to myself as I glanced at the front counter again.

Officer Foxy was paying attention to his computer, while speaking on the phone. He put the phone down and rested it on the hook beside his computer. Bonnie came out from behind the wall and rested a paw on the back of Officer Foxy's chair. The fox looked up at the rabbit and pushed himself off the chair, holding the rabbit in an embrace.

Bonnie frowned and pet the fox on the shoulder, while kissing him softly. I looked down, repulsed at this. I stared at the floor, my face heating up rapidly. What the hell was my problem? I guess because I wasn't used to the whole...well, kissing thing. But why was it disgusting to see two guys doing the same thing? I looked back up and saw Officer Foxy and Bonnie embracing each-other tightly.

I sighed and bit my lip. I pushed myself off the seat and to my feet, approaching the door slowly. I was stopped before I could get any closer to the door by a paw resting on my shoulder. I turned around to see Freddy standing there with a frown, "What did they say?" I asked, brushing his paw off gently.

"The chief is busy with something else, apparently," Freddy rolled his eyes, "I guess he just doesn't give a shit..." He walked out of the station with me alongside him. The crowds outside had slowly dissipated in the few minutes preceding our exit from the station. There was silence between us for a while after that, which caused me to feel uncomfortable. I put a few more space between myself and him, but not by far.

I think he took notice of this, as he seemed to feel a little more depressed and the silence seemed to get even more silent than it was before. After half-an-hour, Freddy stopped in his tracks and glanced at me.

I stopped and turned to face him, "Sorry I've been so quiet," Freddy muttered, "I've just been pondering some things..." I nodded and folded my arms, walking off the footpath and sitting on the grass. Freddy sat beside me and curled up, resting his legs against his chest.

"So have I," I responded with a monotone voice, "Too much stuff has gone on in the last few days...I don't think I can deal with this anymore," I rubbed my eyes, "I don't know if I can stay here anymore..."

Freddy's ears lowered against his head. He looked back at me with a sigh, "You're really cool, you know?" He said, causing me to blush slightly, "Sorry. I'm not used to having many friends," He sighed again, "You're a good friend...and...I haven't known you for long. I just really want you to see this place as you wanted it to. You know?"

"Yeah..." I glanced at him. He pushed himself to his feet and looked up, a grin making it's way onto his face, "What…?" I followed his gaze. He looked over at me with a smile. We were sitting in front of a movie theatre.

What was he planning? To see a movie with me? After all that happened? Honestly, I wouldn't have had too much of an issue with it. It'd probably help me keep my mind of the entire situation, and the thoughts that had been going around in my head for the past few hours.

"Wanna see a movie?" He asked. I wasn't surprised at all, and I wasn't inclined to turn him down. My tail swished back and forth furiously as I responded with a nod. Freddy tilted his head in my direction and peered over my shoulder with a grin.

I blushed heavily and covered myself, "Are you checking me out…?" I grimaced. He laughed and blushed heavily, looking away from me.

"Of course not," He muttered, then cleared his throat, "It's just cute is all." He glanced back at the movie theatre. I followed him into the cinema and bit my lip as I felt my bladder tighten. Freddy stood at the counter and turned to look at me with a confused expression.

"I'm gonna use the bathroom...just choose any movie, alright?" I walked away from the counter and into the male's restrooms. I groaned as I was pushed against the wall by a brute wolf as I walked inside. The wolf growled at me and walked out of the bathroom.

I rolled my eyes, "Why is everybody so rude in this place…?" I muttered and walked further into the bathroom. I walked into one of the stalls and undid my the fly of my jeans. I looked around the insides of the stall, giggling a little at the graffiti dotting the stall's walls.

After I finished, I did up my fly and pressed a button atop of the toilet, flushing it. I looked down at the bottom of the stall and blushed at noticing a hole in the side of the stall, with some stains on the side of it. I bit my lip and approached the sink, resting my paws beneath the faucet and letting the water soak through my fur.

I smashed the water against my face and turned off the faucet, "Oh my gosh.." I held my paws in front of my pace and exhaled shakily. My paws were shaking pretty bad, and this wasn't good.

Was I nervous? Maybe it was because Freddy and I never really did anything like this. Or maybe I just wasn't used to having a friend like this?

I walked out of the restroom and noticed Freddy standing at the counter with a rather large bucket of popcorn in his paws, with two drinks either side. I laughed and ran over to him, just as he almost dropped everything on the ground.

I grabbed the popcorn and one of the drinks, while giggling at the bear, "You're adorable. So, which movie are we seeing?" A small grin made it's way onto Freddy's face.

"It's a chick-flick..." He muttered. I looked at him as if he was crazy, but laughed it off, "I'm serious." His smile faded. I frowned and my ears lowered.

"Sorry, I was kidding," I sighed, "I've just never seen a chick-flick in a theatre before," I added with a chuckle, "Don't take offence." Freddy nodded in silence as he walked into the cinema. I exhaled as I followed him in, letting the darkness sink in as we eventually found our seats. I rested the popcorn on the ground and the drinks in the cup-holders on the side of the seat.

Freddy glanced at me and giggled as more people started coming into the cinema, "Sorry, not used to going to cinemas with other people!" I smiled back at him as the movie began.

The movie was some cheesy romance movie about a girl coming to terms with loving a guy or something like that. I wasn't really into it, but I eventually found myself enjoying it. Actually, I enjoyed it more when I saw the smiles on Freddy's face every now and then.

There was something about him that made me think things I'd never thought before. I needed time to think this stuff off. These were all new concepts.

Freddy and I laughed on the way out of the cinema, stepping out into the outside world, "And…a-and she was just like; "Oh, _hell_ no. You don't talk to mah _gurl_ like that!" I laughed along with him.

"I know, dude. I was there!" I exclaimed. Freddy chuckled, before stopping as his phone started to ring. He cursed to himself and glanced at me with a frown.

"Sorry, gotta take this. It's dad..." He muttered. I nodded and started walking in the opposite direction, with Freddy trailing behind me just far enough that I couldn't hear what he was saying. I folded my arms as I felt chills down my back.

The temperature must have suddenly decreased in the few seconds preceding that moment, "Oh my gosh.." I shivered and rubbed my shoulders, just as Freddy caught back up to me.

"Hey, sorry about that..." Freddy chuckled nervously, "Dad just wants me to run into a store before we get back." I nodded in response to this.

"I'll do it later..." He grinned, "I don't think you'd like to shop with me!"

"What time is it?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. Freddy pulled his phone out of his pocket and switched it on.

"It's just after four...we should probably head home," Freddy said, looking back over at me with a frown, "Besides, dad is probably wondering where the hell I am..." I nodded as we turned and started turning in the direction of home.

Freddy rested his paws in his pockets as he walked alongside me. It didn't take long for him to start talking again, but I wasn't complaining. He was definitely one of the more interesting people I'd met in my lifetime, so I didn't have a problem with hearing what he wanted to say.

"Ever been to university?" He seemed to be avoiding eye-contact with me, which confused me and annoyed me to no-end. Was there something wrong with me or something?

I shook my head with a frown, "No...I wanted to go...but we couldn't afford it..." I folded my arms with a bit lip, "We didn't even have a university anywhere near where I lived..." Freddy nodded.

I smirked slightly when I saw his eyes dart in my direction for a split second, "I wanted to study teaching..." I chuckled, "Maybe get a degree in art or something...I didn't care if I went to one without any friends...I just wanted to learn, and to show my family that I was more than a useless rabbit with no future goals..." Freddy frowned, his ears lowering against his head.

"You're not useless..." Freddy looked in my direction again, "Hmph. I never even thought about university. Now _that's_ being useless..."

I shook my head with a grin and pet him on the shoulder, "You work in a coffee shop!" I exclaimed, "That'd be an amazing job…!" Freddy laughed. I felt my grin widen as I his face reddened. He _really_ was easily flustered by anything I said to him!

"Well. It _is_ pretty fun..." Freddy rubbed his shoulder, "Actually...that reminds me!" Freddy exclaimed. I glanced at him with a confused expression.

"What is it, Fred?" My ears flattened against my head with a small smile making it's way onto my face.

"I forgot to introduce you to Bonnie," Freddy said, "Remember? The police officer from before?" I tilted my head to the side in confusion, "The purple rabbit?"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, laughing nervously. I felt embarassed that I didn't remember something that'd only happened only a little while ago.

"He and I used to go to school together," Freddy added, "He's a nice guy once you get to know him." I looked down as something came up in my mind that I wanted to mention.

"I saw him and Officer Foxy macking on each-other earlier..." I felt my face heat up. Freddy glanced at me with a grin, nudging my shoulder.

"'Macking on each-other'..." I shuddered at hearing what I said repeated back to me through the lips of another.

"Kissing each-other..." I grimaced, "Gosh. Way to be an asshole..." Freddy chuckled and pet me on the back.

"You don't seem so comfortable about that scene," Freddy tilted his head to the side, "Are you...repulsed?" I shook my head quickly.

"I don't..." Freddy led me off the footpath, and down a narrow alleyway leading towards his house, "I'm n-not repulsed," I frowned, my ears flattening, "It's just...that sort of thing was really...r-really...not well received in my town...and my family.."

He frowned and let me talk. He must've been sensing that I had to give an exposition of some sort, cause he was silent while I spoke, "They made it so terrifying to come out or anything...my dad seemed fine with it, but my mother was very against it. I wasn't sure about my sister...but that's cause I hardly got to spend much time with her...you know..." I sighed, rubbing my paws together nervously.

Come to think of it, I never stopped to think about my sexuality _at all_ , "I never had any relationships in school..." I muttered, "Never been on a date, or a first kiss but..." I held my head. I froze, I needed more time to think on the subject before telling him.

What if I was...l-like that…? And he rejected me? I'd lose my only home and friend in this whole town! There was no point of saying anything more. This wasn't important. I needed to stop focusing on myself.

"But…?" Freddy tilted his head. I shook my head and waved him off with a frown. He frowned in response to this, but seemed to understand that I didn't want to continue.

It didn't take too much longer for us to reach the front door of his house. Freddy walked inside and was greeted by his father. I rested against the back of the couch as his father shut the front door.

"...just get it done when you can," Senior said, petting his son on the shoulder lightly, "Like, maybe as soon as possible?"

"Yes dad, I gotcha...I'll get it done now so you'll get off my back." Freddy smirked and walked away. Senior turned to look at me. I returned his look with a smile and waved sheepishly.

He approached me with a smile and glanced at the front door, "He's really taken a liking to you," He looked back over at me, "That's...worrying.."

"How is it worrying?" I asked with a frown. He sighed and rested a paw on my shoulder, leading me outside. I rested against the front of the house as Senior knelt in front of a planter.

In front of the house, were two rows of empty planters, except for the one that Senior was kneeling in front of. It appeared to be a large plant with blue flowers sprouting from the top. He beckoned me over with a warm smile. I slowly approached him and knelt beside him. He stroked the flowers with a grin and glanced at me.

"Ever heard of Nighthowlers?" He asked, in a soft tone. I winced and backed away slightly. Those were the flowers that were used to make predators go savage…!

"Yes..." I frowned, "The savage flowers.."

"These are Nighthowlers…" He sniffed the flower, "Genetically different from the ones in Zootopia, however."

"So, they don't make people go savage…?" I asked with a frown. He shook his head and looked back at the plant.

"No...not anymore..." He muttered. He sighed and looked back over at me once more.

"Why did you bring me out here, sir?" I asked, my ears perking.

"Did my son tell you about why his mother ain't here?" He asked, his frown fading into a depressed smile.

"Yeah...I'm sorry..." My ears flattened.

"It's alright..." He responded, "I hope you don't have a problem with gay guys..." He laughed, which was followed by some awkward silence. He paused and frowned at me, "What's the matter? You look...confused."

I sighed and rubbed my paws together, glancing back at the house, "Look I just wanted to..." I sighed, "...n-nevermind..."

"Yeah...sorry...I shouldn't be barging in on your business," He frowned, "We've only known each-other for a day or two...I apologize." I turned to look away from him, but ended up locking eyes with a rabbit across the street.

"I just wanted to warn you about Freddy," I was still staring at the rabbit, "He takes after me in more ways than one." I froze at the comment, but didn't dare look back, as I recognised the rabbit I had locked eyes with.

It was the rabbit who held the gun to my head.

 **PLOT TWIST.**

 **OH WAIT-**

 **DOUBLE PLOT TWIST.**

 **\- RSM**


	9. Chapter Nine - My Little Sunshine

**The ninth chapter is here, and it's comin' for ya booty.**

I don't know why I didn't move from where I was standing. I watched as the rabbit frowned at me, her ears flattening behind her head. She raised a paw, as if she was going to say something, but seemed to change her mind. She turned around and walked around a nearby corner, and into a pitch-black alleyway.

I finally managed to pry myself away from Senior, running across the street. I apologized to a motorist after I was almost hit near the end of the road, before jogging into the alleyway. I stopped in the middle of the alleyway, staring ahead. All there was, was the back of a building. She was gone, and there was no way I could've caught up to her.

I glanced over my shoulder and looked back at the road, noticing Senior approaching me, "I mean, if you didn't want to talk, you could've just said so." He rested his paws on his hips.

I bit my lip and turned to face him, blushing, "Sorry, sir."

"It's fine..." He glanced back at the road, "Somethin' spook you?" He looked back over to me. My ears flattened in response to this, and I shook my head. It'd only complicate things if I told somebody else. From what it seemed at the time, Freddy hadn't told Senior, or anybody else what I had told him.

He nodded slowly and started walking back towards the road. I rested my paws in my pockets and slowly trailed behind him with a frown. I looked up at him as I remembered what he had said. I decided to question him about it, so I caught up to him as he walked across the road.

I groaned as my chest collided with another's. I looked to my side and noticed a pink rabbit lying on the ground, with her glasses resting beside her, and a few books on the ground. I frowned and knelt beside her, "I'm sorry...it's been a long day." I started helping her pick up her stuff off of the ground.

Her eyes locked with mine. She had an odd eye-colour that I never got out of my head. Dark pink. The type of eyes that you could lose yourself in. But not as much as Freddy's ocean-blue eyes. Those are some eyes to lose yourself in..

I helped her to her feet and handed the rabbit her glasses and books, "Yeah. Been a long day for me aswell." She nodded. I looked at Senior, who was waiting for me.

"I gotta run, sorry, again." I waved at her and approached Senior. The woman nodded and started walking away.

Something told me that I would meet her again.

"You mentioned that he takes after you?" I tilted my head to the side as I approached the bear. Senior shook his head and folded his arms as we approached the house.

"Huh? I did?" He bit his lip. I nodded in response with a frown, "Oh...yeah I did."

"You're family, so of course he's similar to you..." I folded my arms, my frown fading into a neutral expression as he opened the front door.

"Nevermind, kid...you can figure things out for yourself..." He walked inside. I nodded and turned away, as the door shut softly. I looked up at the sky and narrowed my eyes as some large clouds cloaked the sun and cloaked the area in a shade of grey.

I shivered as I felt the wind flow through my fur. I quickly turned around and walked into the house, shutting it behind me with a frown. I looked over at the hallway leading towards my room, then glanced over at the couch.

Senior and Freddy were talking to each-other in the bathroom, so I decided to just sit on the couch in silence. I switched on the television and curled up, just before my phone started vibrating.

I fell off the couch in shock, groaning as I smashed against the hard wooden floor. My phone slipped out of my pocket and landed beside me. I pushed myself to my feet, grabbed my phone and walked outside into the cold, sighing softly as I shut the door behind me.

 _What do I say to him?_ I asked, glancing at the caller-id. It was my dad. I smiled slightly, my picture was a picture of me and him sitting in a park with my sister sitting beside us.

I exhaled shakily and sat down on the front steps. I didn't notice Freddy watching me through the window beside me, with a large frown on his face. I accepted the call and sighed.

"Hey dad…!" I exclaimed with a smile.

"Hey kiddo," I could tell he was smiling on the other side of the line, "Sorry I didn't call you earlier. Work has been a little over-the-top lately…!" I smirked.

"Yeah dad, it's fine, really..." I grinned.

"I certainly hope things are going well for you, kiddo," He said, "You've only been gone for a couple days…!"

"Well..." I sighed softly, "Look, dad...I'm gonna be honest. A lot of crap has happened...but I won't get into it. I met this...r-really nice guy, and he took me in. He's really helping me out..." I sighed, a small smile creeping onto my face, "He acts like we've known each-other for years and...I feel like we do...he treats me like I'm a real friend..."

"That's good, kiddo," My father chuckled, "I already like this guy already. How about your job? Have you got one yet?" I sighed, my smile fading shortly after.

"No...I'm gonna get one though...eventually..." I bit my lip, "I'm sorry dad, I hope I didn't disappoint you..."

"Oh, Clyde...you could never disappoint me," He responded quickly. But I heard him sigh under his breath. He was disappointed it, and I knew it, "Did you want me to come up there?"

"No, dad...I think things are looking up.." I covered the phone for a second to catch my breath. I moved my paw and felt myself smile slightly, "I'll be fine.."

"Well...you know, you can call me if you _ever_ need anything. I'll be here if you ever want to come home, kiddo..." I nodded and bit my lip.

"Thanks dad..." I muttered. He said his goodbye, and I said my goodbyes. I hang up the phone and rested my phone beside me, while my paws cupped over my face. I exhaled shakily and choked on my sobs, crying into my fur.

The door behind me opened and I could feel a pair of paws on my shoulders. I flinched and bit my lip as the paws retracted from my shoulders and Freddy sat beside me, "Hey there, Clyde." He muttered, glancing at me with a frown.

"Hey Freddy," I looked down, "How's things?"

"Good, good..." He nodded and looked away from me, "Yourself?"

"Better than I was when I was thrown outta my home, that's for sure..." I murmured. Freddy glanced at me, his ears flattening against his head.

Freddy and I didn't say anything after that. We just sat out there in silence for half-an-hour or so, before walking inside. We didn't speak for the rest of the day.

A week passed rather quickly without to many things going on. I slowly adjusted to living in the house. I was expecting to be moving out a few days after I started staying there, but Senior and Freddy were content on keeping me there for as long as possible, however creepy that may sound.

At the moment, I was sitting in the passenger seat of Freddy's car, while in the drive-thru of a fast-food place. Freddy was speaking to a woman at the window, while I was staring out of my _own_ window.

Why the hell was I acting normal after all of the shit I went through in the previous week, I'll never know. At the time, I think I just assumed that was the norm. But being around Freddy seriously calmed me down, as if I had nothing to car about, except for him and myself. I sighed softly as he grabbed our food and handed it to me, as we drove out of the drive-thru.

He smiled at me, "Thanks for paying, seriously," I muttered, "I really should've gotten a job by now."

"Don't apologize," He laughed as he turned out of the car-park, "It's what friends do."

"I just don't want this to become a trend with you," I frowned, my ears flattening, "Doing all these things for me...sometimes, people walk all over you, dude..." He frowned and sighed, his ears lowering aswell. He slowed the car down slightly, just so it was travelling at the right speed limit, and looked over at me.

I handed him his food without him needing to ask me. He smiled and thank me, as he took a bite from his burger, "I never really liked McSwine's burgers, but this one doesn't taste half-bad."

"We didn't even _have_ a McSwine in my town," I laughed, as I took a sip from my Zebra Cola, "All we had was local businesses. It was cool, and it had charm. But god-damn was everything expensive!"

"I bet..." We started driving back towards his house. We sat in silence for the remainder of the trip, while enjoying our cheap food. Freddy stopped the car in front of the house and turned it off. I opened the passenger side door and got out, holding the remnants of my food in my paws.

I shut the door and approached a nearby bin, through the rubbish inside it. I held the bin open for Freddy to toss his rubbish inside, shutting the lid shortly after. We approached the front door and walked inside in silence, with Freddy walking into the kitchen. I shut the door behind us and looked around, "Senior's out." Freddy said, taking a note off the fridge.

"What's he doin'?" I sat on the couch and peered over the back, "Well?"

"He's just getting groceries I think," He responded, resting the note on the counter, "Want a drink or something?" I shook my head and laid back down on the couch in silence. I stared at the ceiling and yawned, stretching my arms around the back of my head.

I laid there in silence for a few minutes, before I was suddenly interrupted by the television. I glanced at it and winced as I noticed that it was one of the court-room shows. It was a father suing a mother for custody of their kids. I didn't notice Freddy sit beside me as my eyes widened. He frowned at me and looked over at me, as memories that I wanted to forget came back.

It was my sixth birthday. I was sitting in my bedroom playing with my new toys. My father had gotten me a fire-truck, and my sister had given me one of her own Bunny dolls, which was a plastic doll wearing a dress. I had put the doll inside the fire-truck and was driving it around my room, squealing in the happiest mood I'd been in in my entire life until that point.

I froze as I heard something smashing downstairs. I held my doll and fire-truck in my paws as I ran out of my room and down the stairs with a scared look on my face, "Mommy? Daddy?" I whimpered, as I peeked around the bottom of the stairs.

My mom and dad were talking near the front door. And by talking, I mean screaming. My mom was holding a broken shard of glass from a smashed vase on the ground nearby. My dad was standing just out of the door with widened eyes, "I know you've been cheating on me Niall. I know about the woman at your work..." She tightened the grip on the shard of glass.

"I don't even work at a place!" My dad exclaimed, "I deliver mail, for christ sakes, Martha!"

"You're a god-damn whore," She tossed the shard on the ground, "Get out of my house!" My sister was standing beside me, holding a blanket in her paws. I glanced at her, with my lip quivering. She wiped some tears off of my face and held my paw tightly.

"Martha, please. C-Calm down..." My dad raised his paws, in an attempt to defend himself, "Please, please...just think…!" My mother turned to face us. I screamed and hid behind my sister, while my sister stood there, breathing shakily.

My mother slowly approached us. She grabbed my sister's paw and led her outside, pushing past my father. I ran after them, with widened eyes, "DAD!" I screamed to my dad, "Where is mommy taking Emily!?" My dad held me tightly.

"Martha, where are you going…?" My dad asked in a calm tone. My sister looked at me, with tears trailing down her face. She didn't want to go anywhere, but she was frightened to go against her mother.

"I'm taking what's rightfully mine," Martha didn't even look behind her, "See you in court, you piece of shit." She unlocked her car and put my sister in the back-seat. She shut the door forcefully and walked around the car, sitting in the driver's seat and looking over at us.

My eyes met with my mother's. She didn't say anything, she just looked away, turned on the car and drove away. My father was in tears beside me. He turned to look down at me, "Clyde..." I broke down. My father picked me up and brought me inside, shutting the door behind him.

He carried me up the stairs and into my room, then rested me on my bed. I slipped under the covers and stared at my fire-truck and doll. I glanced at him with a frown, "Daddy...are they coming back?" He didn't say anything, he just stared at me with tears trailing down his face.

"Do you want me to sing you a song to help you sleep..?" I nodded with a frown. My ears flattened against my head as I put my toys on the ground.

"Fluffbun! Where's my Fluffbun!?" I whimpered. My dad got up and looked around, eventually finding my plush beneath a nearby shelf. He walked back over and handed him to me. I cuddled Fluffbun close to my chest, my tears slowly soaking the plush.

"My parents u-used to sing this song to me..." He muttered, kneeling beside the bed. He stroked my fore-head while breathing shakily as he started to sing.

"Sunshine...you are my sunshine..." His lip quivered, "You make me happy...when skies are grey..." He bit his lip, "You'll never know, dear...how much I love you...please don't take..."

"My sunshine...away..." I faded into sleep.

I panted heavily as I returned to reality. Tears were trailing down my face, and I was staring at the ground, "Clyde?! Are you alright? What's the matter?" He stroked my shoulder and stared at me wide-eyed. I pushed him away gently and sobbed into my paws, soaking my fur with my tears, "Are you alright? Clyde?"

I didn't respond. I held my chest tightly and choked on my sobs. I didn't resist as Freddy wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. I just sat there and cried into his shoulder for the next hour.

We didn't speak of it for the hours after that. The clock struck seven, and Senior came home around the same time. We were sitting in silence at the dinner table, while eating something that Senior had prepared for us. I finished my meal and got up from the table, holding my empty plate in my paws. I waddled over to the counter and rested the plate on there, before turning around and walking away from the kitchen with folded arms.

I didn't care of Senior or Freddy's eyes were burning into the back of my head, I just kept walking down the corridor and into my room, shutting the door gently behind me. It didn't take long for Senior to come in, just as I took a seat on the side of my bed, "My father and I didn't get along very well," He approached me and sat beside me, "But he was still a good father."

I looked at him with a frown, "Freddy said you were talking to yourself. As if you were daydreaming..." His ears flattened, "Is everythin' alright, kid?" It'd only been a week, but I felt like I could trust him. I sighed and folded my arms. I ended up telling him everything that was bothering me about my past.

I finished about ten minutes later. I panted heavily and hugged my chest, "I really...I just really wish things would've worked out..." I choked, my lip quivering. He frowned and stroked my back supportively. I looked up at the door to see Freddy peering inside. He frowned at me and slowly shut the door.

"I loved my wife, you know," He folded his arms. I looked back over at him with a frown, "We'd been married for four years," His ears lowered, "Had Freddy a year after we got married..." He chuckled nervously, "You know. People are weird. She was a good woman, and a good wife. But sometimes...people like to try different things."

"Unfortunately, that resulted in losing her," He sighed, "Just because I tried to become who I was, Freddy lost his mother." My ears flattened against my head.

"I like guys, alright?" Senior rubbed his paws together, "That's freakin' obvious," He sighed, "I just wish...I just wish Jess stayed to be Freddy's mother a little longer..." He bit his lip, "...I wish he grew up with both of us, instead of just one parent..."

"...I know the feeling." I shifted uncomfortably and looked away from Senior, my ears perking as I heard the door open.

Freddy was standing there with a large frown on his face. Senior got up off the bed and walked over to him, grabbing his son tightly and hugging him. I pushed myself off of the bed and slipped past them and into the corridor. I walked back into the living room and noticed my backpack lying against the couch.

I walked over to it and grabbed it, just before sitting on the couch. I opened the backpack and reached inside, not feeling anything due to me putting all of my clothing in the dresser in my room. I froze as my paw felt something in the bottom of the backpack.

I bit my lip as I slowly pulled it out. I'd had this backpack for almost a decade. It was practically an heirloom at this point. I pulled the object out of the bag and stared at it wide-eyed. It was a picture of my mother and sister hugging each-other in front of a black skyscraper. I was speechless.

This wasn't a picture of my sister when she was young. She was fully grown. I recognised her immediately, and I knew that I'd seen her before.

My sister had pulled a gun on me.

 **OH**

 **DAMN**

 **By the way; Niall is Nightmare Bonnie. Just wanted to point that out. ;)**

 **\- RSM**


	10. Chapter Ten - The Police Station

**Chapter ten is upon us.**

I approached the police station with Freddy by my side. He frowned and folded his arms as he was pushed to the side by a few bulky and taller bears walking past, "...I hate this part of town." He muttered as he opened the front door of the station. I slipped through the doors, with him following close behind.

"So. What's this about your sister?" He asked, "You never told me why we're going up here. The only thing you said is that your sister is here." I stopped and looked at him with a sigh.

"Look. It's either a crazy coincidence that she looks _exactly_ the same as my sister, or it's her," I turned to approach the front counter, "I'm ninety nine percent sure that it's the latter." Freddy grabbed my by the shoulders and helped me onto the counter. I bit my lip as I noticed Bonnie sitting where Officer Foxy would usually sit.

"Can I help y-..." He froze as he recognised me, "Hey. It's you," He frowned, "I'm sorry about before...with, you know..." I frowned, with my ears flattening against my head.

"I don't wanna think about that right now..." I sat on the edge of the counter, "I actually need your help with something." Bonnie nodded and adjusted his position on his seat, taking a sip from his coffee shortly after.

"How can I help, kid?" He asked. I rolled my eyes at this. He couldn't have been more than a couple years older than me. I glanced at Freddy, who just urged me on with a small smile. I glanced back at Bonnie with a frown.

"I'm looking for my sister, Emily Donovan..." I handed him the picture, "She's in town and I need to see her..." He looked at me and nodded, resting the picture beside his computer. He switched on the computer and proceeded to type away at it, "...well?" I asked.

He looked up at me with a frown and shook his head, "There are no rabbits listed with that name, sorry Clyde." I stared at him wide-eyed.

"That's not possible! I saw her! That's her picture! She's my sister for crying out loud!" I slammed my paws on the desk, catching the attention of a few nearby officers. I frowned and jumped down from the counter. Freddy sighed and ruffled my hair, while Bonnie peered over the top of the desk.

He handed me the picture, "I'm sorry, Clyde. I wish there was more we could do to help you. But, there isn't..." I sighed, putting the picture in my pocket, "I'll give this info to my partner, and he'll pass it on to the chief, cool?" He smiled at us.

My tail swished back and forth and I felt a wave of happiness go through my body, "Why don't you just wait here, huh?" Bonnie walked away from the desk. I glanced at Freddy with a grin.

"Well, I guess not all of the cops are absolute crap," Freddy laughed, as he sat on a nearby chair. I sat on a chair beside him and crossed my arms, "I'm still tripping on what happened with that wolf..." His smile faded into a frown.

"I don't even care about the money anymore..." I muttered with a sigh, "I can't believe that poor guy is dead. He was just a thief...and he just..." I rubbed my eyes, "The collar shocked him before he became savage, right?" Freddy nodded in agreement, "Maybe the collar malfunctioned or something..." Freddy tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up to see Officer Foxy standing in front of us, with Bonnie beside him.

"Hi..." I greeted, my smile fading.

"Yeah, Hi Clyde," Officer Foxy greeted with a small smile, "Bonnie said you needed something from me that requires that I talk to the chief?" I nodded in response to this, "He mentioned a sister?"

"Yeah...I just want to find her..." I murmured. Officer Foxy nodded "Thanks for doing this, Officer..." He nodded, his smile fading.

"Call me Foxy, dude," Foxy nodded and turned to leave, "Give me a few minutes." He walked off. I noticed Bonnie watching him leave with what seemed to be a frown on his face. Bonnie glanced at Freddy and extended his paw.

"Sorry I didn't greet you before, Fred!" Bonnie exclaimed, as they shook paws.

Freddy grinned, "It's cool, Bonnie. I know you're busy," I watched their conversation unfold, "It's just good to see you again. I don't know why we don't talk as much." Bonnie turned to me with a grin and folded his arms.

"It's cause of your new friend," He smirked, "I understand. When I met Foxy, I shut out everybody for a good month or so." Freddy blushed and nodded.

"Yeah, I remember that," Freddy replied, "I literally had to track you down so I could spend time with you!" My gaze slowly drifted away from their conversation and started lingering around the room. I looked up at the second floor, which had glass rails on the edges so that nobody fell off. I noticed Foxy adjust his uniform as he walked into the chief's office.

I frowned and looked down, my ears flattening as I glanced over at Freddy again. Freddy looked back at me, "What's the matter, dude?" I shook my head.

"Don't worry," I shook my head, "I'm fine." I had a bad feeling. I wasn't sure where this feeling had come from. But I didn't feel good. I felt like something wasn't right.

I could tell by the expression on Freddy's face that he didn't believe me in the slightest. Before he could say anything, Bonnie sat down beside me and looked over at me, "Well. Looks like you've gotten more words out of Fred in a week than I have in a year!" He exclaimed with a grin, "He used to be so shy and quiet...and then you come along!"

Literally right when he had finished that sentence, Freddy's phone started ringing, "One second," He reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, resting it against his ear, "Yeah…?" There was a slight pause, "Hold on," He looked over at us, "I need to take this." He got up and walked outside.

Bonnie tapped the sides of the chair and stared at me. I could feel his eyes burning into the side of my skull for the next minute or so. Eventually he pushed himself off of the chair and unfolded his arms, "He really likes you, you know," Bonnie smiled. I listened intently to what he had to say, "It's just really good to see somebody who can be a positive influence in his life now..." My ears lowered.

"Positive influence…?" I tilted my head the side, "He seems fine to me...and even if he wasn't, he has you, right?" Bonnie shook his head and turned away from me.

"Come with me for a second, huh?" Bonnie asked. I nodded and got off the chair. He started walking slowly, so I decided to follow him closely. He turned to look at me as we started walking around the station, "Freddy's a good guy, you know?" Bonnie chuckled, "I've known him since high-school, but we didn't really start talking until about a year ago." He led me up a set of stairs leading to the second floor.

"I know you don't know me from fuckin' Adam, but I just wanted to thank you," He stopped and rested against the glass railing. I folded my arms and stood adjacent to him, "You seem like you could really become good friends. I mean. Freddy never took me to the movie theatre." He chuckled.

I smiled at him, "Why was that?"

Bonnie shrugged, "I have no idea, and Freddy'll never share with me. We went out for drinks a few times, but each time I woke up in a mess, Freddy would always be at his place, while the rest of us were hungover," Bonnie trailed off, "He's just...a very reclusive and introverted person. As you probably already know." I nodded in agreement.

"Sometimes...I worry about him..." Bonnie frowned, "He's been through a lot of crap. More than most of us..." I sighed and shook my head.

"Foxy was abused by his parents, you know?" Bonnie looked up at me, "He was abused for a few years before he was left on the doorstep of an orphanage," He continued, "But now...look at him. Working as a police officer! And protecting Zootropolis from the mean assholes that seem to call it home."

"I wanted to be a photographer," I threw my two cents into what he was saying, "Now, I'm not quite so sure. I feel like I'm just...experiencing the city. There's something for me here. But I can't be sure." Bonnie seemed to be confused by this, but didn't push further anyway.

I glanced over at the chief's office and saw the door open. Foxy walked out of the office, with two officers following close behind him. Bonnie looked over at him with a frown. Foxy had two bruises that were the shape of two large paws on his neck, and a small cut on the palm of his left paw. The other police officers walked away from him as Foxy walked over to us.

"...he's busy." He muttered. I stared at him wide-eyed. Bonnie looked at me with a frown, his ears flattening against his head as he stroked Foxy's hair.

"What happened to you…?" I asked. Freddy came up the stairs behind us and approached us.

"Whoa dude, what happened to your neck?" Freddy asked, noticing the bruises almost immediately. Bonnie tilted his head at Foxy as the fox shook his head.

"...the chief doesn't want to hear your sister's name again..." He muttered, "That's all he said..." Foxy pushed past Freddy and walked down the stairs. Bonnie looked at us with a frown and walked past us, following Foxy down the stairs.

Freddy and I walked down the stairs a minute or so later, but we couldn't find them. Eventually, we gave up andwalked out of the police station, "Foxy is being beaten..." I muttered, just as we left the police station, "He went in with little-to-no brusies, and he came out with multiple ones. I even saw open wounds on him the first time I met him at the station."

Freddy nodded almost immediately, "I had a feeling he was," He bit his lip, "Somebody beat him while he was in the chief's office you think? Why would they do that, dude?" He glanced at me.

"I'm not sure..." I shrugged, "Foxy is such a nice guy. I don't understand how anyone could beat him like that..." We walked away from the police station and started walking towards Freddy's house, "Is there anything we can to do help?"

"I left Foxy and Bonnie messages on their phones before we left. I'll give them a phone call tomorrow to see how they're doing...maybe go out and bowl with them or something?" He shrugged.

"I guess so," I responded with a small smile, "I like Bonnie and Foxy. They seem cool." I fumbled through my pockets and pulled out my phone, "It isn't too late, yet. What do you wanna do?"

"I'm not sure," I put my phone back in my pocket and slipped my paws in, "Got any ideas, dude?" He shook his head. I sighed and bit my lip, "I wonder where my sister is now..." I trailed off, "Wait...what about my mom? If my sister was here, maybe she was here too!" I exclaimed. Freddy tilted his head to the side.

"Probably, yeah," He nodded, "But maybe we should avoid the police for a little while. Something about them is just off, especially after seeing Foxy's bruised neck..." I nodded in response to this. He was right. We just needed to take a break for a while and let the questions and answers fester in our minds.

Before we had a chance to continue our conversation, a wolf came out from an alleyway and stood in front of us. He looked almost exactly like the wolf who had gone savage. Freddy growled lowly as the wolf held his paws up in a surrender.

"Wait, wait wait..." He sunk his teeth into the side of his muzzle, "Before you say or do anything. I know who you guys are. Frederick Fazbear. Clyde Donovan..." He lowered his paws, "You were there when my brother died, right?" I glanced over at the bear.

Freddy was staring at the wolf with a guilty expression, "What happened to him?" The wolf pried further.

"...I just wanted to get my money back that he and my sister stole from me. I followed him into an alleyway, and he just started spouting something about looking weak. Then his collar shocked him and he just...went savage..." I trailed off, "He's dead, I'm sorry..." The wolf winced, his ears lowering.

"How did he die…?" His fists clenched, and he growled lowly. We were on a busy street. There was no way that he would do anything as stupid as hurt us, right? Freddy looked over at me as I answered the wolf's question.

"A police officer shot him..." I replied. I immediately regretted what I said. The wolf looked down at the ground and growled rather loudly.

"It was that fox, wasn't it?" He twitched, "The fucking chief said everything would be fine, and that he would cover us. But no. Of course he was full of shit!" He pushed past us and started running away from us. Freddy and I shared looks of confusion as we continued walking in the direction that we were planning to go in.

"I hope we didn't just drop Foxy in some shit..." I frowned. Freddy shook his head and looked up at the sky. Clouds were starting the cloak the blue sky, and eventually, the cracks of light coming from the sun started to fade as the clouds completely cloaked the sky.

"This town scares me..." I murmured with widened eyes. Freddy looked over at me with a small frown and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I didn't resist, I just continued walking with a worried expression planted on my face, "God. It's been one strange fucking week..." We continued walking in silence until we eventually got to his house.

Senior wasn't home yet, so Freddy had to unlock the house. He let me in and shut the door after us. I took off my jacket and sat on the couch, staring at the blank television, "Mind if I join you?" He asked, after taking off his jacket. I nodded and moved to the side so that there was room for him to sit down.

Freddy grabbed the remote and switched on the television. He started scrolling through the channels. Almost none of them caught my interest, until the bear scrolled past a channel that was depicting a familiar face. He continued scrolling, but I stopped him shortly after.

"Wait, go back! Go back!" I exclaimed. He scrolled back to the news and rested the remote on the side of the couch, "Holy shit..." It was the lion that I was sitting beside on the plane.

The headline read; 'Lion goes savage'. Freddy glanced at me, "You know him?" I nodded, but didn't dare take my eyes off the screen.

"I sat beside him on the flight over here..." I murmured. Freddy and I watched intently as the news broadcast unfolded.

A white leopard wearing a green sweater was sitting at the news table, beside a blue rabbit who was taking a sip of his coffee. The female leopard was in the middle of talking, "...I believe they said it was this morning," She turned to her co-anchor, "Right?"

"That's right Alyssa," The rabbit turned to face the screen, as the screen cut to pictures taken of what looked to be a shop of some kind, "Thirty-four year-old lion; 'Travis Lionheart', was taken into custody today, after he bared his teeth to the clerk of a technology store. What unfolded afterwards was truly, a nightmare."

"Travis Lionheart…? _The_ lionheart!?" My eyes widened. I was sitting next to my idol for more than a few hours, and I didn't even notice.

I could remember sitting beside him on the plane.

" _Good morning." He had greeted me, while putting his tie back on and stretching his arms._

" _Is this your first time to Zootropolis?" I'd asked out of curiosity._

" _Not quite," He replied, "I work at a law firm."_

He'd lied to me about his identity…? I guess that was smart. Trying to make sure nobody recognised him I guess.

The screen cut to a frightening image of Lionheart standing on all fours atop of a counter, with his claws unsheathed and raised above a glasses rack, "The singer-songwriter had entered the store without a collar and had proceeded to threaten customers over petty things. It took four officers to restrain him." Freddy leant forward with narrowed eyes.

"Wait a second..." He froze, "The collar is on his neck. I can see it..." He muttered lowly. Just as he had said that; Senior had opened the front door and walked inside. He approached the back of the couch and stared at the television.

I stared intently at Lionheart's neck. My eyes widened as I could see the indentations of a collar that had blended in with the colour of his fur, "He's savage, but...the collar is still on him..." I muttered, looking over at Freddy, "Why would the media lie about this?"

Senior folded his arms and shook his head, "Travis Lionheart, huh?" Freddy and I looked over the back of the couch and watched Senior rest some bags of groceries on the counter, "Hm. Nicest lion I ever met. Never had a savage bone in his body."

"But look at him..." The rabbit was still talking on the television as Senior said this. We looked back at the television. I frowned at the sight of my hero raising a clawed paw near other shoppers, "...that's not the Lionheart I know." The screen eventually cut back to the studio, where the news was talking about something less important.

"Something weird is going on, man..." I muttered with a frown. Freddy nodded in agreement and jumped off of the couch. I watched him in confusion as he pulled out his phone, "What are you doing…?" I asked, cocking my head to the side slightly. He looked at me with a look of guilt on his face.

"I'm calling Bonnie..." He sighed, tapping his foot on the ground as he dialled the rabbit's number. He rested the phone against his ear and waited for a minute or so. After a few tries, he still couldn't get Bonnie to answer, "I'll try Foxy..." He dialled the fox's number, and just like before, he got zero response.

"I'm sure they're fine," I frowned, "It's getting dark outside...so maybe we should just calm down for the night. I think we've got questions that need answered, but we should sleep on it, anyway." He seemed to agree with me, because he switched off his phone and we didn't talk about it for the rest of the night.

I was standing in the shower a few hours later, with my back against the wall. I had finished washing every orifice dry, but I was just standing against the tiles. I stared at the roof with a frown as I pondered to myself about what was going on.

My thoughts instantly drifted to Foxy for some reason. I could see flashes of his bruises, and the image of a gun appeared in my head. My thoughts slowly drifted to the wolf we had met with on the way back home.

 _Shit. I hope we didn't get him in trouble. Maybe we should've kept our mouths shut…_ I eventually pushed these thoughts away and tried to think about happier thoughts.

That didn't go so well for me however.

I could feel my face heat up as suddenly I started thinking about a certain bare-chested bear. For a split second, I could see him standing in front of me in the shower before vanishing. What the hell was wrong with me?

"Oh dude, gross...not in the shower..." I muttered to myself as I switched the shower off. I came out with a towel wrapped around my waist and walked into my room, reaching into the dresser. I pulled out a pair of boxers and a tank top with purple dots on it. I dropped the towel and slipped on the boxers, followed by the tank-top.

I turned around to see Freddy standing there with a shocked expression on his face. I tilted my head to the side. _Was he just perving on me?_

"H-Hey, so...I was wondering if I could ask a favour…?" He frowned. I nodded, pushing the previous thoughts away and listening to what he had to say, "Can I sleep with you…?" The question was so blunt. And I felt my face go red at the prospect of sleeping in the same bed as another being.

"I-I mean...I don't _have_ to...I just, I haven't slept and I could really use a bed..." He paused, "Shucks, I can just take the couch if you want..." He trailed off. I didn't want to seem selfish and I didn't want to seem weird. But I just took the route that I wanted to go with.

"It's fine. Here, watch this," I pulled the covers off of the bed and started running my finger from the top of the bed, down the middle and to the bottom, "This is a line in the sand. The line that neither of us ever cross, get it?" He chuckled at me.

"I remember Bonnie telling me that he did something similar like that with a few of his own friends." He chuckled.

"That's cute..." I trailed off

"You didn't have to do this...but...thanks, Clyde. Seriously." I nodded in response and put the covers back on the bed. I crawled under the blankets and rested my head on the pillow, curling up in a ball of warmth. I caught sight of what Freddy was wearing as he walked around the other side of the bed.

"It is your bed afterall." I smiled to myself as I took in his appearance.

He was wearing a pair of green boxers, and a black shirt that hugged his sides, it had bright white words on the middle of the shirt that read; 'Nate wants to duel.' I smiled as he laid on the other side of the bed, covering himself with the covers, "Are you sure you're comfortable with me being here…?" I shrugged him off after he said that.

"It's fine, really," I turned away and switched off the lamp, "'Night Fred. Sweet dreams." I could hear him sigh as he shuffled to the side. I could see his reflection in the mirror beside the door. He was staring at me for a few seconds before he decided to turn away, with a frown on his face.

"You too Clyde." He replied in a gentle, soothing tone as I passed off into sleep.

 **The longest chapter so far. Hopefully this wasn't _too_ lacklustre.**

 **Don't forget to review.**

 **\- RSM**


	11. Chapter Eleven - The Dream

" _Hey Clyde, wake up my little sweet-cakes!"_

"…"

" _It's your birthday!"_

" _..."_

" _Yes it is, my little Clyde-y widey!" A familiar voice echoed throughout my head. My eyes fluttered open. I was lying on an unfamiliar bed, in a room encased in darkness. I looked around and felt myself frown as I pushed myself off my back. The room was completely unfamiliar. I didn't remember this room at all. I held my paws in front of my head and gasped as I could actually feel them close and clench._

 _It was a dream, of course, but...I could control things. I could feel my body against the velvet bed-sheets, and I could feel my paws tightening right in front of me. It was like I could control my own movements. What do they call that? Oh, I remember!_

 _Lucid dreaming. I was dreaming, and I could control my actions, but...I couldn't control anything apart from myself. I reached over and felt my paw touch something made of glass. I ran my paw up the side and felt a switch. I pulled it and a lamp came into view, lighting up the room for a split second before it exploded, sending shards of glass all over the floor._

 _I could see my father's depressed expression in the glass. Like the vase that my mother had shattered._

 _I jumped down from my bed, thinking I would land safely on the wooden floor. But as I jumped off the bed, I kept falling. I was falling into a pit of complete darkness without an end. Fortunately, after I stopped screaming, I could hear a faint voice speak to me as my eyes closed without my consent._

 _My eyes opened shortly after. I was lying on cement. I could actually feel the chill of an air-condition vent beside me. I pushed myself to my feet and quickly adjusted myself to my new surroundings. I could see the way out of the alleyway, but as I ran towards it. Something pushed me back. I tried to leave, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't leave._

 _My own inner mind was telling me that I shouldn't leave. I turned around and swallowed my bitter courage as I slowly started to pad down the alleyway. It was pitch black at the end of the alleyway, so I had no idea of what to expect. I immediately regretted turning back, as cell bars slammed behind me. I fell forwards and groaned as my face scraped against the cement._

 _I panted heavily and rubbed my cheek with my paw, gasping as I could feel a graze on my fur, with a little blood dripping down the side of my face. I rubbed my eyes and exhaled shakily._

 _I looked up and looked over my shoulder, groaning as I felt the pain surge through my face._

 _Another set of cell bars came smashing down in front of the others, and they were slamming down fast. More of them came out of the sky and smashed in front of the other. I screamed and pushed myself to my feet, running away from the bars. I could hear the frightening slams of dozens of cell bars as they slammed onto the concrete. I looked down and I could see the concrete cracking beneath my feet._

 _I looked back up and screamed as I saw a wolf wearing a metal muzzle come out from the darkness and grab me. I didn't have time to recognise it before everything went black. I woke up for the third time, but this time, I couldn't see anything at all. I could feel myself tire as I outstretched my arms, searching for something – anything – that could give me a clue on how to get out of that dream._

 _I could feel something soft on my paws. As I stood up, I could feel a soft material that I recognised almost immediately. I was in a closet! I could feel the clothes. I reached for the door to open the closet and pulled it open, only to have the closet door slam shut once again. I grunted in annoyance as I tried to pry the door away from it's hinges, but the door wouldn't budge._

" _You're never coming out," I could hear my father's voice outside. I froze and felt myself shudder as I could hear his booming voice. I'd never heard him shout before, "You are gonna be like the rest of us! Don't be the next person in my family to let me down!" The door opened suddenly, and a burst of light came flowing through._

 _I raised my arm over my eyes, shielding myself from the bright light. The light quickly switched off after I left the closet. The closet slammed shut and vanished without a trace._

 _What was this supposed to mean!? I'd never dreamt like this before! I exhaled shakily and slowly padded forward, before suddenly being grabbed and pinned against a cement wall by a familiar face. It was the wolf who went savage. He was holding me against the wall, growling heavily._

 _I closed my eyes for a second and re-opened them, gasping as a metal muzzle appeared on my attacker and his eyes went wide. He whimpered and pulled at the muzzle, dropping me in the process. I landed on the ground with a thump and whimpered as I leant against the wall, witnessing the wolf try to pry the metal muzzle off of his face._

 _It was to no avail however. I looked away and closed my eyes, hoping that the wolf was gone. But as I looked back, he wasn't._

 _The canine was sobbing heavily, while curled up in a ball of sadness. I frowned and outstretched my paw while approaching slowly. I gapsed and retracted my paw as the wolf looked over at me._

 _It was Canis. My high-school bully. The wolf looked away, his fur transforming back into the bright while colour as I rubbed my eyes._

 _The lights suddenly came back on, and I was surrounded by unfamiliar figures dressed in business suits. I glanced to my left and noticed that the closet had returned, but the door was wide open._

 _I pushed myself to my feet with a cautious demeanour. What was happening to me!? Why wasn't I waking up? How long would this nightmare go on?!_

" _Is there any way out of this nightmare!?" I exclaimed. The figures stared at me with looks of disdain. They grimaced as soon as they saw me and looked away. As I approached a female leopard holding a glass. As I reached out to touch her, she exploded into dust. I looked around and saw the rest of the figures do the same._

 _I peeked out of the door and saw my father standing in the middle of a corridor. I reached out to touch him, but he exploded into dust. I stared wide-eyed into space as he vanished. I gasped as I felt a pair of paws on my shoulders._

 _I peered over my shoulder and turned around. It was a woman that was a little younger than me. I had no idea who she was, but she leant forward and pressed her lips against mine._

 _I'd never kissed before, so this felt entirely foreign. I opened my eyes and screamed as I saw that the woman was no longer herself. It was Freddy, standing in front of me with his arms outstretched. He had a smirk on his face and he blew me a kiss._

 _I turned around and saw Foxy standing behind me, in an officer's outfit. He was clean of any cuts and bruises and he had a smile on his face. I blinked and I stared at him in horror as bloody wounds started forming on his face. He collapsed and fell into a pile of dust. Bonnie came out of nowhere and held a gun above his shoulders. He aimed it at me and fired._

 _I could feel a surge of pain in my back as I suddenly slammed on a tile floor, "You're the reason why your mother left. Not me. Don't blame me you worthless pile of trash." My father spoke to me. I could feel tears trail down my face as my eyes closed once again._

I could feel myself standing up. I opened my eyes and groaned as some wind brushed through my fur. I was standing in the middle of a road, in my boxers and shirt, _What the…? W-What the hell!?_ I looked around and frowned as I shivered once again. I quickly got off of the road and approached a footpath, examining my surroundings. I looked around and immediately recognised where I had ended up at.

I was on the same street as the cafe. I knew where to go from here. It wasn't far.

It didn't take long to arrive at the house. I panted heavily as I approached the house, freezing to death from the combination of the rain and temperature.

I pushed the front door open of the house. It was unlocked for some reason, and this concerned me to no end. I groaned as I felt myself sniffle and shiver once again as I closed the door behind me. I looked around and noticed Freddy sitting on the couch. His ears perked and he peered over the back.

I could see the absolute shock on his face as he got up off the couch, still in the same clothes as he went to bed in. He jumped over the back of the couch and hugged me tightly without any hesitation. I blushed as I could feel his warm fur against mine, brushing against my skin. My breathing quickened as he pulled away, "I-I was so worried! Where did you go!?" I pushed past him gently and rubbed my eyes.

"I just woke up outside...I must've sleep-walked or something..." I murmured. He frowned and outstretched his arms, as if he was trying to hug me again. I waved him off gently and politely, with a small smile, "I'm freezing...w-what time is it?"

Freddy glanced down at his watch then looked back up at me, "Just past midnight." I nodded in response.

"I need a shower..." I sighed, "I'll talk later..." I started walking down the corridor, leaving a confused bear standing in the living room.

What just happened to me…?

I don't remember anything else that occurred that night. But I remember waking up the next morning, in the same bed. I frowned and rubbed my eyes, glancing to the side where Freddy was sleeping before I had the dream. The blankets were ruffled on that side and the indentations of where Freddy was sleeping were still there.

I sighed and rolled onto my back, closing my eyes and taking all of this information in at once. My ears perked, but I didn't open my eyes. I could hear the door to the bedroom opening. I could feel the shudder of the ground under heavy footsteps. I opened my eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. Freddy was standing beside my bed, with his paws behind his back.

"...you were talking in your sleep," He muttered, sitting down on the edge of the bed. I stared at him, pushing the covers off myself as he continued to explain the events of last night, "You talked for a good half hour about something...something that involved darkness...you spoke to me for a few minutes about being afraid to do something before you went back to sleep again..." He sighed.

"Then you screamed 'not the muzzle' half a dozen times, before you stopped. You must've got out of the bed after I fell back asleep..." He looked down at the ground, "Clyde. Be honest. Are you alright?"

"I'm..." We were interrupted by Senior, who was standing at the door, "Senior? Good morning..." I half-smiled at him. He frowned and looked at me with a confused expression on his face.

"There's a police officer outside looking for you," He said, tipping his head in the direction of the front door, "A rabbit, like yourself. But he didn't tell me his name." Freddy and I shared glances.

Freddy was wearing a jacket and jeans, but I was still wearing a dirty shirt and boxers, "Freddy...just let me get changed real quick." Freddy nodded and got off from the bed. I looked up to see Freddy giving me a worried look before walking out. Senior bit his lip and closed the door, leaving me alone in the silence.

I took off my shirt and boxers, grabbing some deodorant from the top of my dresser. I pressed my finger against the top and sprayed myself with it, resting it atop of the dresser afterwards. I grabbed a pair of boxers, slipping them on with ease, and grabbed a pair of cargo shorts.

I slipped the cargo shorts on and grabbed the first t-shirt. I examined it with a small smile as I looked at the picture on the shirt. It was a picture of a badly drawn person holding a book, with the caption; 'Ya'll will get a face-full-of-book in a minute!' I chuckled and put the shirt on, approaching the door shortly after.

I stretched as I walked down the corridor, noticing Freddy standing at the door, in mid-conversation with a rabbit outside. I approached cautiously with a small smile on my face, "Freddy?" Freddy glanced at me, and I could see Bonnie standing behind him with a frown, with his police cap in his paws, "Oh, hi Bonnie..." I frowned, my ears flattening against my head, "What's the matter?"

"Foxy's gone," Freddy looked over at me. I stared at him wide-eyed, then glanced at Bonnie, who seemed to be on the verge of tears, "According to Bonnie, he never came home last night. And he hasn't heard from him since yesterday."

"I...I followed him out of the police station through the back-door..." Bonnie looked up at me, "He started crying and wouldn't tell me why." Bonnie glanced at Freddy, "I tried to hug him hundreds of times...but he kept pushing me away."

"What happened to him?" Freddy frowned. Bonnie sighed and looked down.

"...I left him there. When I came back out a few minutes later to check on him. He wasn't there anymore, and his badge was just lying on the ground.." Bonnie handed Foxy's badge to me. I glanced at Freddy, then back to Bonnie.

"Didn't you tell the police? You _are_ a cop afterall." I asked, studying the badge.

"He already tried," Freddy answered for him, "They wouldn't listen to him."

"It's like nobody cared..." Bonnie whimpered, "What do I do…?" Freddy and I shared a frown.

"Wait, I guess..." I folded my arms, "There's really nothing we can do at this point in time...but...I'm not sure." Bonnie nodded, tears trailing down the rabbit's face. Freddy sighed and stroked the rabbit's shoulder with a sigh.

"We'll find him. He probably just needed some time to think about something..." He muttered, caressing the rabbit's shoulder. Bonnie nodded and turned to leave, walking away in silence, "We'll call you..." Freddy said, as Bonnie got into his car and drove off.

I shut the door and looked at Freddy with a sigh, "Poor Bonnie...how can we help him?" Freddy shrugged and walked away from the door. I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms as he stopped behind the couch.

"I don't know if we can," Freddy looked back over at me, "This is a big situation. And if he can't go to the cops. What are we supposed to do?" He reached for the remote and switched on the television. I glanced at the television, then watched Freddy sit down on the couch.

"Police stations have security cameras, right?" I asked, "In all of the rooms? The bullpen?"

"Yeah, of course," Freddy shrugged, resting the remote beside him, "But there wouldn't be a security camera outside, right?"

"Uhh...are there any stores nearby that have security cameras?" I frowned.

"Probably, but probably none that aim towards the alleyway beside the police station..." He bit his lip, "Maybe traffic cameras caught it?"

"I'm not sure," I walked around the couch and sat beside him, "Anything that'll help us find him, I guess." Freddy nodded.

"Bonnie can get us into the system, right? The security camera system I mean," I asked, "If not him, then who would be able to?"

"Bonnie works the front desk. But he can use his computer to access the system. He's done it before," Freddy replied, "Maybe we can ask him next time we see him." I nodded and folded my arms.

Freddy turned the volume up on the television, "Hey, look…!" I glanced at the television, my eyes widening as the news came on. The white leopard was speaking to the camera while her co-anchor was drinking another coffee.

The headline read; 'Another savage attack', and there was a picture of Foxy standing in a dark room with a metal muzzle.

Freddy gasped and quickly snapped a picture of Foxy. He showed me the picture on the phone. That wasn't the officer that I knew. Something had gone terribly wrong.

I looked back at the television with a forlorn expression on my face. Freddy stroked my shoulder as we continued watching.

I blinked, and the wolf with the metal muzzle flashed before my eyes for a second. I panted heavily and curled up as I watched, "A local police officer by the name of Foxy Cynical has gone savage. This is the eighteenth predatory savagery case in the last four weeks alone, and this one isn't any different. Foxy Cynical was arrested in a flower shop, a few blocks away from Precinct 1. He's being held in custody currently, and is being looked at by the finest scientists in the Zootropolis area." Freddy and I shared looks of confusion.

Freddy grabbed his phone and dialled Bonnie's number. The rabbit picked up within two rings, "Did you see the news?!" Bonnie exclaimed, "Foxy isn't even in custody! Our station has _zero_ prisoners!"

"Yeah..." Freddy replied, "Something weird is going on here. I can't believe what I saw.."

"This can't be right! Foxy was with me, and I only left him for a minute! He wouldn't have even gotten close to that flower shop!" Bonnie shouted, "They're making up all of this bullshit!" I sighed and got off of the couch.

Freddy bit his lip, "We'd love to help you," Freddy said, "We've got an idea."

"Please, tell me..." Bonnie spoke in an urgent tone. I leant on the back of the couch and stared at Freddy with a frown. Senior came out from the bathroom and approached us. He looked at us and immediately walked past us. He knew that we were busy.

"There are security cameras in the police station, right?" Freddy tilted his head to the side, "And I know you can access the system. You've done it before."

"I didn't even think of that..." Bonnie trailed off. Freddy got up off the couch and rested his other paw on his other ear, "Freddy. Can you and your friend meet me outside of the police station?"

"Of course. When…?" Freddy murmured.

"Just before midnight. I can't access the system during the day...we're gonna need to take drastic measures to figure out what the _fuck_ is going on!" Bonnie exclaimed. Freddy sighed and nodded, frowning as Bonnie started crying.

Bonnie choked while sobbing on the other side of the phone call, "Hey...don't worry. We'll find him. See you soon, Bonnie." He hang up. He glanced at me with a frown.

"He wants to meet us outside of the police station," Freddy said. I nodded and ran a paw through my hair, "He's going to tap into the security camera system tonight."

Night fell aa few hours after. In the hours leading up to meeting up with Bonnie, Freddy and I sat in uncomfortable silence watching television. The clock struck ten, alerting us that it was time to start getting ready.

It took us half-an-hour to get ready completely. I came out of the bedroom with a black jacket, and a pair of black jeans, along with a pair of black shoes. I sighed softly and glanced at Freddy as he came out of the bathroom in a similar outfit.

"Freddy," I frowned, "What are we doing?"

"I don't know yet..." Freddy folded his arms, "All I know is that Bonnie wants us to meet at the precinct late at night..."

"He's gonna tap into the security system, right?" I bit my lip, "Why does he need us?"

"I'm not sure..." Freddy muttered, "The only thing I can assume is...we'll be breaking the law tonight." Senior approached us with folded arms, which caused us to fall silent.

"Do you guys need any help?" He asked.

"Just...dad, if you see anything weird at all, just let us know. And please update us if something on the news comes on..." Freddy trailed off, "We've got this." Senior nodded and sat on the couch as Freddy opened the front door.

I walked out of the house, with Freddy following close behind. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and pressed a button on his car-keys. I glanced at the drive-way and saw his car resting on the cement. I opened the passenger side door and sat in the passenger seat, while Freddy sat in the driver's seat.

It was pitch black outside, due to most of the street lights in this specific district being either smashed, or not working. It was a serious hazard, but nobody outside of this district ever seemed to care.

I sighed and glanced at Freddy. What would my dad think about who I am right now? Freddy mentioned that we could be breaking the law...what would my dad think of me?

...or my sister?

"I'm so sorry that we dragged you into this," He muttered as he shut the driver's side door. He turned on the car and rested a paw on the wheel, while turning to look at me, "You can quit anytime if you want.."

"No," I shook my head. Freddy was my best friend, and I cared for Bonnie and Foxy. There was no way that I was going to quit now, "You guys are my friends. I'm gonna stick by you guys." Freddy smiled at me.

"It means a lot to me..." He murmured, looking at the steering wheel, "It would mean a lot to Foxy and Bonnie too," His smile faded into a frown, "On the way to the precinct. Do you wanna talk about that dream you had?"

I nodded, "Good. It's always good to talk about things like this," He rested his foot on the pedal and pulled out of the drive-way, then onto the road, "We've got some time before we get there...tell me as much as you would like to."

I could trust him. He was my closest friend and I needed to speak my mind. I exhaled shakily and looked at him as he kept driving. Freddy tightened his grip on the steering wheel before I even said anything.

I was going to tell him _everything_ that I dreamt about. But I paused before I said anything. How was I going to say that he and I kissed in a dream?

'Oh, yeah. And a woman that I was kissing in my dream turned into you.' How could I say something like this? I was going to tell him everything...but...there were some things that...well...

There were some things he didn't need to know...

 **Oooh, the plot thickens! C:**

 **\- RSM**


	12. Chapter Twelve - Breaking and Entering

"...and then I woke up," I muttered. I could feel Freddy staring at me as he had parked the car on the side of the road. I looked back over at him with a sigh, "I think stuff is starting to affect me..." He frowned at me and rested his paws on the steering wheel.

I felt bad for not telling him about the closet and about me...kissing him, but...it wasn't the right time for it. I couldn't risk ruining our friendship over a stupid dream, "What time is it?" My ears flattened. Freddy twisted the key in the ignition and smiled at me.

"I'm glad you told me..." I could feel myself smiling back at him as he pulled back onto the road, "...anyway. It's just before midnight. So let's head to the precinct." He started driving in the direction of the precinct as I stared out of the window.

It didn't take long for us to drive back into our district. Freddy slowed the car to a stop a block away from the precinct. He parked on the side of the road and glanced at me, "Now...if we're doing something illegal. We need to make sure they can't identify the car, understand?" I flinched.

"I'm sorry..." I muttered, "I'm just...I'm not a criminal. I've never done anything like this before..." I sighed, "What are we even doing?"

"I'm not sure..." Freddy got out of the car, "Let's just meet with Bonnie outside of the police station." I nodded and got out of the car. I watched Freddy go around the back and cover the license plate with a blanket. He walked around to the front of the car afterwards and slipped a blanket over the top of the front license plate aswell.

He glanced at me and approached, "Come on." We walked around the side of a building and padded along the footpath towards the precinct. I frowned as I locked eyes with Bonnie, who was standing outside of the precinct, resting against the wall with folded arms.

"You both made it, I..." Bonnie looked really disorganised, "I-I'm so sorry I brought you out so late, I...I've just been really stressed. I hope you u-understand..." He trailed off. Freddy approached him and hugged him tightly.

"We understand, Bonnie. And we're here to help in any way we can..." Freddy responded, pulling away. Bonnie nodded and glanced at the side-door leading into the precinct, "Now. What can we do to help?"

"Okay…" Bonnie pulled out his phone and showed it to us, "I've designed a temporary app which'll help with us. I used the code from the security cameras and have found a way to tap into them. Look." He switched to a screen which had a dozen or so buttons with different camera names.

He pressed Cam #01 and the phone switched to a black-and-white tape of the main area of the police station, "Okay. Good. Can you access the security camera for out here?" He frowned and shook his head.

"I tried to. But it didn't work. It only shows what's going on at a 10 second delay, and things that are happening at the present time. But..." Bonnie trailed off, "Since you guys are here...I have a plan." Freddy and I exchanged worried glances.

"What is it, Bon? Just tell us, and we'll do it." Freddy said. I didn't even think about arguing with him. I was willing to do whatever I could to help my new friends, whatever the risk.

"I need you to take this," Bonnie handed a USB stick to me, then looked over at Freddy, "And get into the police station. We need to plug this in into the system and get the security camera footage."

"Hey, hey..." Freddy chimed in, "If we take any of the files from the system, they'll realised that they've been edited, won't they?" Bonnie cursed and rubbed his temple as he started pacing back and forth.

"We could just watch it and tape it with our phones..." I suggested. Bonnie glanced at me with a smile and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Freddy frowned at me. His ears flattening against his head, "Are you sure you want to do this?" I nodded immediately with a concerned frown.

"You guys are my friends. I can't let you guys down." I replied. Bonnie glanced at Freddy with a grin.

"You've got a good one here..." Bonnie trailed off. I could see the red tint on Freddy's face as he glanced at me, "Here. Take these." Bonnie tossed a key to Freddy.

"This is for the side-door?" Freddy asked.

"It's for every door in the entire precinct." Bonnie responded.

"A skeleton key..." I stared at it in awe.

"Or a master key," Bonnie smirked, "I owe you guys so much for this. The files should be on the chief's computer in his office. But feel free to check out his files if you want to." I glanced at Freddy and nodded.

"Ready to break the law, friend?" I asked with a smile. None of them could see it, but my paws were shaking heavily, and my breathing was quickening. Freddy nodded with a sigh. I could see his paws shaking as he held the key in front of him.

"I'll just be around the corner keeping tabs on you with the phone," Bonnie said, "I will need one of your phones so I can keep in contact with you while I use my own phone to watch you guys." Freddy handed Bonnie his phone without any hesitation.

"Let's get this over with..." Freddy sighed, "I hope we find something." Bonnie nodded.

"We all do," He started backing off, "Good luck guys. I'll keep in contact." He ran off. Freddy glanced at me with a frown.

"I hope you're not trying to do this just to impress me," He trailed off, "You don't need to do this." I snatched the phone off of him with a grin.

"I'm in too far to stop now," I put the key into the lock on the side-door and turned it. It clicked and the door opened. I pushed it fully open and glanced at Freddy, "Though I won't deny the fact that I'm shaking in my shoes..." I walked inside.

Freddy followed me inside, shutting the door behind us, "It's pitch-black in here. Let there be..." I turned around to see him holding a flashlight. As I got a closer look at it, I felt myself grin. It was a plastic flashlight with pictures of SpiderPup across the side of it, "Don't judge me. I got this thing when I was four and I never used it." I chuckled as he shone it in front of us.

"Come on, let's just go," He started walking forward. I followed close behind as my phone started vibrating. I looked down at it and unlocked it. It was a call from Bonnie. I accepted it immediately and put it on speaker.

"Can you hear us?" I asked. Freddy turned to look at me.

" _Yeah, I got you,"_ Bonnie spoke through the phone, _"The chief's office is on the second floor. The door is a shade of blue, so you can tell which room it is pretty much immediately."_ Freddy and I exchanged glances. Freddy looked up at the second floor and raised the flashlight.

"There it is," The light shone on a blue door with a sign on the front that read; 'Chief: Elf Corr'. Freddy snickered, "Elf Corr? What a name!" He started laughing. I laughed alongside him while Bonnie chuckled slightly.

" _We like to make fun of him behind his back sometimes. Well...I have a girls name, so I can't really talk,"_ Bonnie stopped chuckling, _"Anyway. Just head upstairs and check the chief's office. Shoot me a phone call once you've found something. There's people walking along the footpath near me, so I can't be heard while I hide. Talk soon."_ He hang up.

"Finally, some silence..." Freddy smirked, "Come on. The chief's office is upstairs, as he said," He started walking up a set of stairs with me following close behind, "I can't believe we broke into a police station."

"I know, this is insane..." I sighed as we reached the second floor, "On the way here I kept wondering to myself what my father would think of me if I did this..." I trailed off.

"He would be proud of you for helping a friend," Freddy smiled at me, "And he would be proud of you being so brave." I snickered as we made it to the chief's door.

"Yeah, sure," I unlocked the door and walked inside, "Alright. Let's see what's on this guy's computer..." We walked around the side of the desk, noticing a desktop computer atop of it. Freddy grabbed a nearby chair and rested it in front of the desk. He sat on it and made himself comfortable as he switched it on.

I walked back over to the door and shut it, locking it behind me, "I'm shaking so much..." I chuckled nervously, "This is so scary, yet so exhilarating too…!" I exclaimed. Freddy and I locked eyes, with smiles on both of our faces. I blushed and looked away, glancing at a filing cabinet resting near the door.

I opened the filing cabinet, my eyes widening as I noticed it's contents, "These are all the files of all the police officers in the precinct!" I exclaimed in a low tone, "Officer Bonnie, Officer Foxy...but no Chief Corr..." I grabbed the two files and shut the filing cabinet.

"A police station would have files with people who have criminal records, right?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. Freddy shrugged as he started clicking away at the computer.

I dialled Bonnie's number on my phone as I rested the files on the desk, _"Bonnie here. How's it going guys?"_

"Hey. I have a quick question for you," I asked, resting the phone against my ear, "Would the police keep files on the criminals in the city?" I asked with a frown.

" _Only in this district,"_ Bonnie replied in a low tone, _"They have the files for criminals and people with criminal records on the computer. Not written down,"_ I put the phone on speaker and rested it on the desk, _"Anything else, guys?"_

"Our little helper has found us a couple files," Freddy trailed off, "One for you, and one for Officer Foxy." Freddy explained.

" _Well. Anything helps I guess. Snap pics of the files, will you?"_ Bonnie asked.

"Way ahead of you..." I opened the camera app on my phone and snapped pictures of the files quickly, shutting them shortly after. I grabbed the files and put them back in the filing cabinet, jogging back to Freddy immediately after, "We'll glance at the files once we've gotten somewhere safe."

"Hey. Bonnie?" Freddy asked with a frown.

" _Yeah Fred? How can I help?"_ Bonnie asked.

"Wouldn't the security cameras in the precinct capture us in here…?" Freddy responded.

" _No. This is why I needed you here at a specific time. I know that the security camera shut off at midnight exactly, and come back on at around 1AM. So just keep checking the clock. We need to be out of here before the clock strikes one. Call me when new information surfaces, please."_ He hang up.

I sighed and stood behind Freddy, resting my paws on the wooden desk as the computer finally came back on, "Shit!" Freddy exclaimed.

"What?! What's the problem?" I lowered my voice. Freddy cursed under his breath and looked at me.

"The damn computer needs a password!" He exclaimed, "Of course…" He tapped away at the keyboard, "Corr..." _Incorrect._ "Asshole..." _Incorrect._ He cursed to himself and glanced at me.

"Look around for a password..." Freddy said with a sigh, "I'll call Bonnie again." He dialled Bonnie's number on my phone and put it on speaker again, resting it beside the keyboard.

" _Bonnie, again. Anything new?"_ Bonnie muttered.

"The chief's computer has a password on it, Bonnie!" Freddy whispered loudly, "How are we supposed to get in?"

" _Shit! I completely forgot...uhhh..."_ He trailed off for a few seconds before he gasped, _"Check the bullpen! Where he talks to the other officers and gives them their cases for the day? He has a podium there. And I've seen him keep a personal file in there with his password in it. Maybe you can get some dirt on him there aswell!"_ Bonnie exclaimed. I nodded at Freddy and unlocked the door, opening it completely.

"I'll go get it, wait here with the computer and talk with Bonnie," I said. Freddy tossed me his plastic flashlight with a nod just before I shut the door after me, "Oh god, Clyde...what are you doing…?" I muttered to myself as I walked off. I felt unsettled as I walked down the stairs. I switched on the flashlight and lit up the station in front of me.

As I reached the bottom floor, I walked around to the front desk and lifted the light to it shone against a clock resting above the front desk. It was 12:30AM. We really needed to pick up our pace before the cameras switched on! I quickly approached the bullpen. I rested my paw against the door and opened it with ease.

 _I'm so thankful that there aren't any fucking alarms…_ I muttered to myself as I shut the door behind me. I walked down the hallway, past the dozens of chairs that police officers would sit on during the day. I felt shivers down my spine at the thought of standing in the same room as twenty police officers right now. Imagine what they'd do to someone breaking into their own precinct!?

I approached the podium and knelt behind it. I reached into the top shelf of it and pulled out a file with a smirk, "Yes!" I exclaimed. I opened it, and was confronted with an almost blank file of the chief.

"Chief Elf Corr. 39 years of age. This bastard has a completely spotless record! Thirteen years in the academy…!" I rolled my eyes, "Nothing important there, but I should do this any-..." I froze, "Shit, my phone's upstairs..."

I cursed to myself. I knew I'd need to bring the file upstairs now. As I grabbed the file and picked it up, a post-it note fell out of it. I frowned and picked it up off the ground, inspecting it with the flashlight's light shining against it.

It had a name, a phone number, and a the word 'TUFF' written in capital letters, "Hmm...a phone number, huh? And whose this Troy..." I muttered to myself, "Could be one of his friends..." I sighed, "At least TUFF seems like a password! Time to head back up!" I jogged out of the bullpen, shutting the door behind me. I jogged past the front desk, shining my light against the clock.

12:40AM. I increased my pace as I started running up the stairs. As I approached the chief's office, my paw reached for the knob, but I stopped as I heard Freddy talking inside.

"This is scary, Bonnie..." Freddy trailed off, "All of this. I just hope this'll be worth it in the end."

" _Of course it will, Fazbear,"_ Bonnie replied in a higher tone, _"Then maybe you can tell Clyde how you **really** feel about your little friend."_

"You really need to stop bugging me about him like that. I still need to figure out my own feelings. And besides. That's not what I want to think about right now. I want to think about...oh...I don't know... _BREAKING INTO A FUCKING POLICE STATION, MAYBE!?_ " He boomed.

" _Shh! I'm sorry if I hit a soft-spot!"_ Bonnie chuckled. What the hell did he mean!? I opened the door and closed it behind me, still holding the file in my paw. I jogged over to the desk and opened the file.

" _Is that Clyde? Is he back?"_ Bonnie asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm back," I replied in a bored tone, "The chief's file is remarkably spotless," I snatched the phone and snapped a picture of it and handed it back to Freddy, "But I found a name, a phone number, and a password."

"Oh, that's good!" Freddy exclaimed with a smile.

" _What's the name and number for?"_ Bonnie asked in a curious tone.

"Not sure. The name is Troy. Take down this number, too..." I told him the number, before handing the password to Freddy, "Got the number and name?"

" _Yeah, got them!"_ Bonnie exclaimed, _"Now get those security camera files!"_ Freddy put in the password, flinching slightly as the screen lit up in a green hue.

 _Correct. Greetings, Chief Corr!_

I sighed softly as Freddy grinned at me, "Smart little rabbit!" He ruffled my ears.

"Dumb bear," I smirked, causing Freddy's grin to fade, "I'm kiddin' Fred."

He rolled his eyes, his grin returning, "Yeah, sure."

"Anyway, come on. Let's get into the security camera files first! Now hurry!" Freddy opened up the security camera archive program and started going through them.

" _Come on guys..." Bonnie muttered, "You've got fifteen minutes to get out of there!"_ Freddy continued tapping away at the keyboard while I watched him in awe.

"What time were you and Foxy arguing yesterday?" Freddy asked.

" _Uh...I marked it on my phone...give me a second..."_ Bonnie murmured to himself, as I assume he was going through his phone, _"3:35 is when I went back out so...about 3:30PM yesterday."_

"Alright...I'll go through the archives of yesterday. This won't take long at all..." Freddy started going through the security cam footage from the camera outside of the building. I watched carefully as he went back a little too far, to about 2:30PM that same day.

"Go forward a bit, slowly," He nodded and started forwarding the security cam footage slowly. The timer eventually got to about 3:30PM, so I needed to tell him to slow down, "Okay. Slower. Normal time. Let's watch and see what happens."

In the poor quality of the black and white camera, we could see Bonnie and Foxy talking outside of the station. Unfortunately, the cameras didn't pick up the sound, as Bonnie and Foxy were a little too far away from the camera. So we couldn't understand what they were saying.

" _Got anything yet?"_ Bonnie asked us through the phone.

"Not yet, wait a second..." Bonnie had walked back inside of the station. Foxy sat on the ground and curled up for a couple minutes. We both shared a collective gasp as a blue sedan came up from the back of the alleyway. We didn't get a good look at it, but I noticed a picture of a flower on the side of the sedan. We'd need to investigate this further later.

Foxy looked over at the car, before suddenly his paws contracted and he started shuddering. I could hear his faint groans as he held his neck while muttering something.

He groaned and collapsed on the ground, his eyes rolling back into his head. He was foaming at the mouth, and he wasn't moving.

He had been knocked out.

I frowned as we could see two wolves coming out from the car and approaching the fox. We gasped as we could actually hear them talk.

"Bonnie! Give me a second, I need to record this!" I exclaimed.

" _Wait-"_ I hang up the phone call and switched to the camera app, recording the security cam footage.

The two wolves had grabbed the fox tightly and wrapped a leash around his neck, resting a metal muzzle on the fox's muzzle, "No. Leave the badge. We'll need to talk to the boss about what story we're gonna need to use this cover this up." The second wolf nodded and tossed the fox's badge on the ground.

We watched in horror as the fox was dragged off-screen, presumably into the car, "Get in, we've got twenty minutes to get to the other side of town." The car doors slammed and the lights switched on.

The car pulled out of the alleyway and onto the street, out of sight.

A few seconds later, Bonnie came out from the police station, "Foxy!?" He exclaimed, tears trailing down his face, "Foxy! I'm sorry! Where'd you go!?" I stopped filming, and Freddy stopped the cam footage.

"Wow..." Freddy and I shared frowns, "I guess we know what happened to Foxy," I said. Freddy nodded in response to this, "I'm kinda scared actually...something else is going on here." Freddy nodded and switched off the camera tab.

"Alright. One last thing I want..." I trailed off.

"Quickly, we don't have much time, what is it?" Freddy glanced at me.

"Can we search the criminal records for a few names?" I asked with a frown, "I want to see something." Freddy shook his head and moved out of the way.

"You can if you wish. I'm gonna update Bonnie with our situation," I nodded in response to this and sat on Freddy's chair, dragging it close to the desk. I opened up the police criminal file and started typing up a name, "I'll see you soon." Freddy left the room.

I typed a familiar name that sent shivers down my spine as my fingers touched the letters on the keyboard.

Emily Donovan.

I groaned and slammed my fist on the desk out of frustration as no results came up, "Fuck. She must have changed her name!" I sighed softly. I decided to search my mother's name.

Martha Donovan.

I gasped as I actually got two results. I could see my mother's mug-shot, alongside my sister's one! My sister had used my mothers name instead of her own!

"Martha Donovan, forty five..." I froze, "Cause of death...heart failure…?" She was dead…!? I rubbed my eyes, "She can't be dead..." I sighed and continued reading, "Buried in Outback Desert cemetery…?" I'd never heard of that place before.

"Martha Donovan. Twenty four..." I chuckled to myself. She was only a little older than myself! "No phone number...last known address 655 Kangaroo Drive…?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Must be some sort of Australian district or something..." I bit my lip. As I said that, Freddy entered the office again.

"Australian district?" He tilted his head to the said, "You mean Outback Desert?" I shrugged. _Of course it's the same place as where my mother is allegedly buried...I should try to find her too._

"I-I suppose so!" I exclaimed, "I found my sister, and her last known address!" I exclaimed with an excited grin.

"Good! Now we can leave!" Freddy shouted, "We've literally got five minutes!" I snapped a picture of my sister's criminal record, information and mugshot, then did the same for my mother's. I didn't have the time to check my mothers mugshot before I heard a door slam downstairs.

"Shit...somebody else is here..." I heard Freddy mutter. I frowned as another idea popped into my head.

"Hold on for just a second. I need to search something else..." I typed away at the keyboard.

Canis Grey.

Sure enough, I got a result. He hadn't changed a bit, except that he had a large scar on his left eye. I gasped as I read the writing below his normal information; 'MISSING'. I read a little further, eventually reading an attached report. I quickly recognised one word in there; 'Savage.'

He was one of the predators who went savage! I snapped a picture of the entire report and glanced at Freddy.

He quickly switched off his flashlight as I closed all of the programs and shut down the computer. We snuck out of the office, with me locking the door behind me. I glanced at the stairs and didn't see anyone.

I gasped quietly as I saw a figure using the glass elevator to ascend to the second floor. How lucky could we have gotten?! Freddy and I walked down the stairs quietly as the figure eventually made it to the second floor. Freddy crouched down and slowly approached the side-door, eventually opening the door quietly.

He walked outside while I lingered behind. I froze and cursed as I was still holding the chief's files in my paws, "I'll meet you out there!" I whispered, "I'll be back!" Freddy frowned and nodded.

"Stay safe Clyde, please..." He muttered as the door closed. I sighed softly as the figure went into a room that was out of sight. I sprinted across the station and into the bullpen. I groaned as I tripped and fell forward, knocking a chair over.

"Fuck!" I whispered to myself as I put the chair back into place. I put the file back where it was before inside the podium and froze as I heard a voice.

"Whose there!?" I heard a door upstairs slam shut.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out of my pocket and rested it against my ear, "Bonnie...be quiet...there's somebody else here..." I whimpered.

" _Okay, just stay calm. I can see where they're coming from. I uh...they have a gun, and they're approaching the bullpen. Just stay down, and stay out of sig-"_ The call cut out. I sighed softly and rested the phone in my pocket.

 _Fuck, I'm so fucking screwed!_ I mentally cursed to myself as many thoughts ran through my head at the same time.

Who the hell would be here this late at night!? My breathing quickened as the door to the bullpen opened. I rested against the podium and whimpered as I could see the light from the flashlight flash by every few seconds, "Whose in here!?"

"Hello?" The voice exclaimed. I peeked over the side of the podium when the light was facing another direction. I gasped as I realised who it was.

I recognised those dark pink eyes anywhere. I'd only ever seen a pair of eyes that beautiful once in a lifetime. That dark pink...it enthralled me. I was almost caught. I quickly retracted myself and hid back behind the podium.

She was a police officer this whole time. And she was going to catch me! _Shit, what is she going to do to me!?_ I closed my eyes as the light came closer. I felt tears trail down my face as it came closer and closer.

I could remember her looking up at me with those eyes. Those eyes of deceit. Something wasn't right there, and I had felt uneasy. This wasn't a new feeling at the moment either.

I gasped as I noticed a clock against the nearby wall. I was literally forty seconds off of 1AM. I closed my eyes and rubbed them before re-opening them.

Just after I opened my eyes, I found myself face-to-face with _her,_ "Found you." I didn't have enough time to see the blunt-end of a flashlight as my vision went black.

 **Oh shit! Clyde's been caught!**

 **\- RSM**


	13. Chapter Thirteen - Taken

I regained consciousness eventually. I panted softly as I opened my eyes, but I couldn't see anything at all. I whimpered as I opened my mouth, I could feel the material of a mask covering my face. I tried to move my paws, but couldn't move due to something holding them together. As I tried to separate them, I immediately realised why I couldn't part them.

They were duct-taped together, and the more I moved, it seemed to almost cut off all circulation to my paws. I could hear voices beside me, which send shivers down my spine. Any thought about escaping quickly faded due to this. I just sat in silence and listened intently.

"He awake yet?" I could hear a low and gruff tone beside me. I groaned as my head slammed into the roof due to a bump in the road, "Ah. I see he is."

"He can hear us, right?" To my right, I heard a gentle female voice, "Hi there, Donovan. How's things? How's your head?" I growled lowly and thrashed around, before I was slammed in the head by a blunt object. I groaned and thrashed my head around, reeling from the pain that was surging through my head.

I made a mental note to remember these voices as they continued to talk, "Make yourself comfortable," The voice from the left spoke again, "This'll be the last comfortable ride you'll ever receive."

"Should we take off the mask? So he can see our faces before we put him in the ground?" The voice from the right asked. It was followed by silence, then I felt a pair of paws on my head and the mask came off.

I exhaled heavily, my eyes getting used to seeing again. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was in the back of a van. I was sitting on the floor, with my back against the side. I took note of a few boxes of flowers adjacent to where I was sitting. I exhaled and glanced to my left. If my mouth wasn't covered by a blindfold, I would've gasped.

To my left, was a large brute penguin dressed in a tuxedo. He was grinning at me, and I cowered at the sight of him. He had bloody scars on his beak, and his left eye was gone. It was literally just an empty socket. His grin widened as I locked eyes with him, "It's a shame we couldn't find your friends. We will though, as soon as we identify them, we will hunt them down, and put them in the ground like we'll do to you tonight."

I screamed into my blindfold, distressed as the penguin guided his flipper against my lips. He held a knife in his other flipper and slowly guided it to my throat, "Would the boss mind if we just killed him right now?"

"No. He wants us to make sure we get him at least twenty miles away from the city so the body'll never be found." I turned to my right and frowned as I was greeted with another new face.

It was a female otter, who had sharp teeth poking out from her bottom lip. She didn't look half as menacing as the penguin, but it still didn't decrease the fear I was feeling at the moment. It took me a few seconds to notice a flower logo on a nearby cardboard box. It was exactly the same as the one on the side of the blue sedan.

I froze. Did this mean all of the predators that went savage were all murdered…? I glanced towards the front of the van and noticed a wolf sitting in the driver's seat. I frowned as I could see the indentations of a collar on his neck.

"You're lucky our little friend caught you instead of the chief, otherwise you'd be in prison right 'bout now!" The otter laughed maniacally, "Instead, you'll be put in the ground. And the chief'll be happy to have a thorn in his side pricked and tossed into the garbage..." The penguin nodded in agreement.

"In any case, why don't we take off the blindfold from his mouth so we can hear what he has to say?" The otter glanced over at the penguin. He grinned and nodded in response to this as he rested the knife against the top of the blindfold.

I thought they were gonna tear it off. I was horribly wrong. I whimpered as he slashed the front of the blindfold, slitting part of my lip on the process. The blindfold landed on my lap and my mouth was bleeding slightly, "Oops, I slipped." I growled lowly at him. I could taste my own blood as his grin remained on his face.

"Who the hell are you people!?" I shouted at them, startling them slightly. The penguin chuckled and rested the blade he was holding beside him, The otter smirked and folded her arms, staring at me with a sigh.

"He's a feisty one, isn't he?" The penguin and I locked eyes once again. He grinned and rubbed his flippers together, "Almost as feisty as that fox was."

"Oh, what about that lion?" The otter asked, getting up from where she sat. She started pacing back and forth as the van veered slightly to the left. She rested against the opposite side of the van and stared at me, "What was his name? Lion-soul? Something like that? Funny guy, he was. He tried to bite my face. Remember that?"

The penguin chuckled, "But of course! How could I forget?"

"Where is Foxy? And the rest of the predators that you've taken!?" I shouted in the penguin's face. He grimaced and pushed me away with a large grin, "Tell me!"

"They're somewhere else. You'll be going nowhere after we're finished with you!" The otter exclaimed, winking at me with a wide grin. The penguin frowned and looked over at her with a sigh.

"Ask the driver if we're near the location yet." The penguin demanded.

"Gotcha," The otter nodded and approached the back of the front seat. I avoided eye-contact with the penguin and watched the otter speak with the driver, "Wolfcastle. How far from the 'burial site'?" She asked with a smirk.

The driver didn't even look at her. He spoke in a quiet tone. I froze as I recognised the voice. It was the wolf that had confronted Freddy and I on the street about the other wolf, "We're here..." He muttered. I frowned as the van came to a stop. I pushed myself to my feet, only to receive a gun aimed at my head, and a knife resting against my temple.

"Can't we just kill him now and save us the trouble?" The penguin asked. The otter shook her head and lowered the gun as she kicked the back doors open. I could feel the chill of the wind and I could see heavy rain smashing against the back of the van. I felt a knife against my back and I was urged to move forward.

"Move." The penguin muttered. I swallowed my courage and jumped out of the van. I whimpered as the rain smashed against my fur. Due to how heavy it fell, each drop that slammed against me was more painful than the last. I looked around, exhaling as I took in my surroundings. It was almost pitch-black, and the rain was making it even harder to see.

There was a dirt road that we'd been driving across, and the rest of the area was surrounded by trees. I had no idea where I was. But why did I care? I was going to die anyway, wasn't I?

No. I needed to find a way out of this. I needed to live. For my father, for Freddy, for Bonnie and for all of the predators that were missing at the hands of these people. I wasn't going to die tonight.

The otter came out from the back of the van and slammed the doors shut behind her, "It's freezing out here. Let's kill this guy quickly." The otter shivered and hugged her chest tightly, shielding herself from the cold.

They led me away from the road and around the side of the van. I glanced at the driver's side of the van and locked eyes with the wolf. I swore I could see a look of guilt on his face. And I nearly froze as he seemed to mouth a 'sorry' to me. I slowed down, which caused the penguin to push the gun up against my back once again.

"Why are you threatening me if I'm gonna die anyway?" I asked. A sudden crack of lightning made me flinch.

"Smartest question asked all day." The penguin folded his arms.

"Because if the boss finds out we didn't obey his orders. He'll skin us alive!" The otter exclaimed. I bit my lip as the penguin lowered his gun and turned to speak with the otter. I exhaled and bent my arms over the back of my head and started chewing the duct-tape. I groaned as I realised my teeth wouldn't be able to cut through it.

I looked around for a way out. I gasped as I noticed a fallen branch in front of the forest that lead into a large tree. I sighed and inhaled, preparing myself.

"Oh come on, can't we just get it over with? He wouldn't care as long as we bury him somewhere where nobody'll find him," The penguin holstered his gun, "We just don't have to tell him." I pushed my feet against a nearby rock and boosted myself forward, starting a sprint.

I could hear dark chuckling behind me. The penguin cocked his gun and grinned, "I just _love_ it when they run!" He shouted, "I love hunting rabbit!" I continued running, looking back every second or two. I froze and stopped running for a second as I realised they weren't chasing after me.

The otter opened the passenger side door of the van with a large grin on her face, "I'm not getting blood on my shirt," She pulled out a dog whistle and blew it. The wolf that was driving the van groaned and collapsed on the ground beside them and covered his ears.

"Kill him." The otter muttered. The wolf looked up and unsheathed his claws. He started running in my direction. I was going to die tonight.

The otter and penguin started running after me alongside the wolf, "GET HIM!"

I continued running into the forest, not looking back. The growling came closer, so I increased the pace. I made a beeline for the branch and jumped atop of it, running across the wood and jumped onto the tree that I was aiming for. I panted heavily and whimpered as I nearly missed my mark, almost sliding back down the tree. I screamed as the wolf started running across the branch.

I leapt down from the tree, looking around for any direction that I could go in that would lead me somewhere hospitable. I pushed branches and leaves out of the way as I continued running across the cold grassy floor of the forest. I eventually came across what seemed to be a nature path in the middle of the forest. I started running across it, ducking beneath a fallen tree and jumping over the top of another one behind it.

The growling slowly started to return. I turned to look behind me, as a crack of lightning made me flinch. I couldn't see the wolf, so I looked forward once again, only for my foot to get caught on a fallen branch. I groaned as I slid across the path, muttering obscenities to myself as I pushed myself to my feet.

It didn't take long for the wolf to tackle me to the ground. I screamed and tried to push him off of me, holding him back by resting my bound paws against his chest as he gnashed his jaw at my face, "Stop! Please…!" Tears trailed down my face as I tried to get him off of me. The wolf froze and locked eyes with me. He looked in the direction he came from, then stared at me.

The otter and penguin were nowhere to be seen. He stared at me wide-eyed, "I'm not gonna kill you..." The wolf muttered breathlessly, "The prey...they're revolting against us. The predators. Please. Help us. Not like my brother!" He exclaimed, as tears trailed down his face, "Free us from slavery."

"They all tell you that we live in harmony; predator and prey, but we don't! They're taking us one-by-one. Please. Find them." He got off of me. I panted and pushed myself backwards.

"W-Where are they!?" I exclaimed. He didn't have time to answer before a gunshot rang out through the air. I looked at him in horror as a bullet went right through his head. I didn't have time to react, I just started running again.

I ducked as bullets rang through the air. I could hear the maniacal laughter of the penguin, and the padding footsteps of the otter beside him. I ran off of the path and past a large tree. I looped around it and started running back where I came from. The footsteps slowly started to fade, and I could no longer hear the laughter of the penguin.

I sighed softly and collapsed on the ground. I flinched as a crack of thunder struck a tree above me. I looked up, to see a tree slowly start to fall. I had no energy to move, so I laid there, as the tree came closer.

And then it all went black.

A shot of pain went through my body, causing me to wake up. I opened my eyes and looked around. The sky was completely empty, save for the sun that had risen. The storm had passed and I was still lying on the cold grassy floor.

Pain was surging through my right leg. I looked down and realised a branch had fallen atop of it. I pushed the branch off of me and pushed myself to my feet, glancing to my side with a gasp. A large tree had fallen, and was lying beside me.

I frowned and looked down at my paws that were still duct-taped together. I noticed a sharp branch hanging off a nearby tree. I slowly approached it and rested my paws against the branch, "Here we go.." I slashed the duct-tape with the branch and rubbed my paws together.

"Okay. Now to find a way out of this place..." I frowned and started walking away from the tree. I spent the next few hours wandering aimlessly, looking for some sort of exit or anybody that could've helped me. Eventually I came across the dirt road that I had arrived on, and by the time I started walking down it, my vision started to fade.

My stomach growled and I started panting heavily. I collapsed onto my knees and felt my eyes roll back into my head as I laid on the dirt. After a few minutes, I could feel the ground tremble beneath a set of tires, followed by the slamming of a door.

"...there's somebody on the road!" I could hear footsteps slowly approach, "Hey, rabbit? Are you alright!?" I exhaled softly before I feel unconscious.

I awoke for the second time. But this time, I was resting in an uncomfortable bed. I opened my eyes and looked around, sighing as I took in my surroundings. The room was completely white, and my arm was attached to a few machines resting beside the bed.

I was in a hospital.

I froze as the door to my room opened, and my eyes met with the only person I wanted to see right now. I opened my mouth, but couldn't find the words as he walked inside. He shut the door gently behind him and approached the bed. He must've not noticed that I was awake yet.

I was completely numb, and unable to move. The familiar bear stood beside the bed with a frown. He was avoiding eye-contact with me, he was just staring at my form with a guilty expression. I panted softly and blinked, catching his attention.

He stared at me wide-eyed, and before I knew it, he grabbed me and hugged me tightly, "Clyde! Oh my god, you're alive! You're alive..." He whispered as he hugged me even tighter.

"...can't...move..." I groaned. The door opened and a badger wearing medical scrubs walked inside, shutting the door gently behind him.

"It's called pins and needles. Frederick, move his arm for him, will you? Then he'll be able to move the rest of his body." Freddy nodded and grasped my arm, moving it slightly. That numb feeling in my arm slowly vanished and I could clench my fist again. I used my arm to move my other arm, and slowly I could move every bone in my body again.

"...how long was I out?" I asked, looking over at Freddy. Before he could respond, the doctor replied for him. He glanced at the clipboard in his paws and looked back up at me.

"About 45 hours," The doctor answered, "You were found on a dirt road about twenty miles out of the city. A couple concerned motorists brought you in. You were malnourished and dehydrated, and had suffered a small injury to your right leg."

"Am I okay?" I glanced at Freddy. The doctor nodded.

"You should be able to leave this afternoon," The doctor said, clutching his clipboard tightly, "Just let me get your forms in order." The doctor left the room, leaving the door open as he left. Freddy approached the door and slowly pressed it shut, looking over at me with a frown.

"…I-I saw you being dragged out of the station..." He muttered, looking away from me, "I ran after you...but you were thrown into a van and driven away..." He looked back at me with a sigh, "...what happened to you?"

"I got caught when I was in the police station. I-I awoke in the van...there was a penguin holding a knife there, and an otter with a gun..." I coughed and looked away from him, "The wolf that confronted us on the street was driving the van...e-eventually they pushed me out of the van and forced the wolf to chase me through the forest."

"...where are they?" He asked, clenching his fists tightly.

"I don't know where the penguin and otter is, but...t-the wolf is...dead..." I winced, "He spared my life...h-he told me to find the other predators and to set them all free..." I sighed, "We need to find them, Freddy. Before something happens to you...or anyone else."

"I don't think so..." Freddy stared at me with a worried expression, "You were almost murdered! The last thing we should be doing is investigating this further!" I shook my head.

"They are trying identify you and Bonnie...i-if we don't do something, we'll all be in the ground..." I muttered. Freddy winced and folded his arms, "Speaking of...where is Bonnie now?"

"He's been crashing at our house. You'll see him once you get back..." His ears flattened against his head. I sighed softly and looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes, exhaling and turning my face away from him and staring out the window, "...your father's there too."

"What!?" I exclaimed, staring at him wide-eyed. I tried to push himself up, but Freddy held me down hard. I sighed, knowing that his brute strength would prevent me from going anywhere.

"He kept calling your phone. Eventually I answered and told him everything..." He frowned, "He's currently staying at our place, waiting for you to come back..." He sighed and looked away from me, "I hope you understand..."

"I do..." I nodded at him, "I'm sorry, I just...it's been a long day..."

"It's fine. When we get back to my place. We'll collect our thoughts. Bonnie has been working with the information we gathered. Including the stuff that was recorded and captured on your phone. He'll be happy to see you again." Freddy replied, a small smile making it's way onto his face.

I didn't say anything else. I just looked away from the bear and stared out of the window in silence. The doctor came back in an hour later and before I knew it, Freddy and I were walking out of the hospital in awkward silence. He led me to his car and unlocked it.

I opened the passenger side door and sat in the seat, shutting the door behind me. I glanced my left and saw Freddy enter the car and sit in the driver's seat. He sighed and shut the door behind him, sticking the key into the ignition and turning it. We pulled out of hospital car park and onto the busy streets of Zootropolis once again. I looked out the window and folded my arms as I took in the view.

I almost died. I could be dead right now. I could be in the ground, and nobody would ever know what happened to me. But somehow, I was still alive. And I suddenly had a new realisation that life isn't to be wasted on petty bullshit anymore. I needed to do something with my life that wasn't photography, and the best place to start, was to continue the investigation.

It didn't take long for Freddy to stop the car in front of his house. He glanced at me, but for some reason I didn't feel like talking. I got out of the car and shut the door, slowly approaching his house. It seemed like a long journey from the car, to the front door, and it seemed to take forever.

But after Freddy had locked his car, he had caught up to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I flinched, but he refused to let me go. I sighed and continued walking forward, leaning against him as we approached the front door. He opened the door for me and led me inside, shutting the door gently behind us.

The house hadn't changed at all from what I'd seen. I pushed Freddy off of me gently and glanced at him. I think he understood that I needed time to myself. I started walking down the hallway leading to my room. I could see Bonnie coming out of the bathroom, and he tried to stop me.

"Clyde! You're alright!" He looked past me and noticed Freddy at the end. I turned to look at Freddy. Freddy shook his head at the rabbit and Bonnie let me past. I walked into my room and shut the door behind me, slowly approaching my bed.

I sat on the side of the bed and laid down, covering myself with the blankets. I curled up in a ball and closed my eyes, my ears flattening against my head.

"...I got a text from Senior," I heard Freddy's voice, "I'll leave you alone...I just wanted to let you know that Senior and your father will be here in a few hours..." I didn't respond. I could hear a sigh, then the sound of my door closing.

I peered out from beneath the covers and glanced at the door. Freddy had left the room, leaving me in a silence which I dreaded. I wanted him to be here with me. I needed somebody, but I kept pushing everybody away.

Before I knew it, I had exploded into a ball of tears. Tears were trailing down my face and I was hugging my chest. I could still feel the duct-tape on my paws, and I could still feel the chill that I had felt the night of my almost-murder. I started to tire myself out as the tears continued to flow, eventually crying myself to sleep.

A few hours passed before I woke up. I looked around and rubbed my eyes, glancing down at my watch. It was just after 4PM. I sighed and pushed the covers off of me. I sniffed the air and grimaced. Of course, going through all of the crap I did, I smelt like literal garbage.

I walked out of the bedroom and across to the bathroom. I locked the door after walking inside and took off my clothes. I reached into the shower and switched it on, stepping inside and resting against the wall as I let the water soak through my fur. I started to feel better as I washed myself, as if I was washing all of my sadness and problems away.

I wish it was that easy.

Eventually I came back out from the shower. I snatched a towel from a nearby rack and tossed my dirty clothing in a nearby hamper, wrapping the towel around me right after that. I approached the bathroom door and unlocked it, walking outside. I froze as I stood face-to-face with Bonnie.

He didn't seem fazed that I was in a towel, he just folded his arms, "Hey, you're awake. Come into Senior's room when you have some time. I really wanna talk to you." I nodded in response and watched him walk away. I opened the door to my room and dropped the towel, slipping on a long-sleeved blue and white striped shirt, and black shorts. I folded my arms and walked out of my bedroom and into Senior's room. I saw Bonnie resting against the wall beside a large bulletin board dotted with dozens of post-it notes, and some pictures of the files that I took with my phone.

Before I could say anything, Bonnie approached me and hugged me tightly, "I'm glad you're alright," He pulled away, his ears flattening against his head, "I-I shouldn't have sent you and Freddy in there..." I could see him tear up, "If you h-hadn't escaped, you would be dead right now.."

"Hey, it's alright..." I sighed, "I've cried enough...we've just gotta move forward..." I approached the bulletin board and folded my arms, taking all of this in.

"I-I guess..." Bonnie stood beside me. I noticed a smaller bulletin board beside the bigger one, with a picture of my sister, and the pictures I took of her file, my mom's file, and Canis' file, "That's your personal investigation..." Bonnie said.

"'Personal investigation'?" I turned to him, "What are you talking about?"

"Freddy told me that you were serious about finding your sister. So we added a small little bulletin board with just _your_ information on it. I also took note that Canis is one of the predators that went savage," Bonnie folded his arms, "Who is he to you?" I approached the small bulletin board.

"High-school bully," I muttered, "But I'd never wish something like this upon my worst enemy," I sighed softly, "Know what I mean?" Bonnie nodded in response and sat atop of a nearby desk.

"Freddy told me what you told him. In the hospital," He looked back over at me, "Who were the people that took you?"

"I didn't know their names. I only heard Wolfcastle, which was the driver. And...he's dead now," I bit my lip, "But I remember..." I trailed off, trying to remember anything I could about the van. I paused and glanced at the bulletin board. A picture was in the centre of the board. It was screen-cap of the sedan from the security camera. I pointed to the side of the car and rested my finger against a flower that was on the side of the sedan, "That flower was on a few cardboard boxes inside the van. And it had the same logo on the outside and inside of van itself."

"Fuck, I wish I knew what place it was from..." Bonnie muttered. I cursed to myself as I realised I had no idea what colour the flower actually was. It seemed stupid, but any small detail mattered at that time.

"While you guys work this out. I need to sort something out," I glanced back at the rabbit. Bonnie nodded and handed me a slip of paper, "I know you want to find your sister. So, here's the address again, and here's the address for the Outback Desert cemetery." I frowned and nodded.

We were interrupted by the door opening. I glanced at the door and noticed my father standing there. He ran over to me and hugged me tightly, "Oh, Clyde! I'm so glad you're okay! I heard everything…!" He held me tightly, almost choking me to death.

"Are you injured? Do you have any scars? Cuts? Bruises? Oh gosh..." I felt myself chuckle at him. Of course he was worried for my safety, but I still wasn't used to this.

"Dad...I'm fine. We'll talk about this on the way," I turned to leave, waving at Bonnie on the way out, "Tell Freddy to leave us alone. We've gotta do this on our own," Bonnie nodded in response, "Come on, dad."

My dad followed me down the hallway and towards the front door. I noticed Freddy's keys resting on a nearby table. I snatched them and pocketed them, a frown gracing my face.

 _Sorry Freddy, I need to get there somehow._ And I couldn't tell him, otherwise he'd beg to come with us. And I didn't have the strength to say no to him.

As we walked into the living room, I noticed that Senior was in the kitchen with Freddy. I frowned as they didn't seem to notice us walk outside, "Where are we going, son?" I had a few questions I was gonna ask him on the way relating to my sister and mother, but I decided to just tell him immediately what we were gonna do.

"Well. First things first, we're gonna head to Outback Desert cemetery." I said as we approached the drive-way. I frowned as I unlocked Freddy's car and got into the driver's seat.

"Why are we going there…?" My dad got in the passenger seat as I stuck the key in the ignition. I turned to him and exhaled as I answered in the most gentle way possible;

"We're gonna visit mom, dad..."

 **Well. That happened.**

 **\- RSM**


	14. Chapter Fourteen - Canis Canem Edit

I pulled onto the free-way with a sigh, my dad was talking to me while I was driving. I had almost no idea where I was going. I was just really happy that there were signs for every district, including Outback desert, "...what did you want to know?" My dad folded his arms.

"What happened to her after she left? Where did she go?" I asked, glancing at him for a split second. He sighed and looked out of the window with a large frown across his face.

"I didn't know, to begin with," He bit his lip, "I thought she was going to fight for custody of you...but no... she just took your sister and ran. Didn't change their names, but they never found them," He glanced at me again, "Then I got a call from your mother a few years after. She said she was sorry, and that she missed me and everything, then...then she mentioned something else."

I looked up and noticed a sign with an arrow pointing to the left, "What was that?" I glanced at him as I turned off the free-way and onto a nearly completely empty road leading towards a massive desert. Ahead of us was absolutely beautiful. The sun was peeking over the top of the road, and a beautiful large orange-yellow aura surrounded it, shielding the trees from the clouds, and reflecting against the mirrors of our car.

We had two hours or so before night would fall.

"...your sister, I..." He frowned, "I can't even remember her name..." He trailed off.

"Emily..." I answered with a huff, "Emily Donovan, dad..." I looked back at the road and concentrated on looking for any directions to the cemetery.

"E-Emily..." His ears lowered, "Martha told me that Emily was gone...then she got a call about Emily leaving town and working with somebody...somebody bad, and really important..." I clenched my fists around the steering wheel, "Martha said that she herself owed a ton of money, then we stopped talking."

"I hadn't heard from her since," He shrugged, "That must've been when she had the heart-attack." I nodded in response to this. I narrowed my eyes as I slowed the car down beside a beat-up sign that read; 'Outback Cemetery'.

"There it is," I pulled onto a dirt road leading towards the cemetery, "I feel really unsettled..." I sighed, "I'm just happy that you're here. Even during all of this bullshit." My father nodded and bit his lip as the cemetery came into view, "Let's stop here." I pulled the car over to the side of the road and got out. He got out of the car and approached me as I locked it.

"Let's go..." He grumbled as I started walking towards the entrance to the cemetery as my dad followed close behind. We walked through the entrance and looked around with frowns on our faces, "It feels like nobody's been here in ten years..." He said with a sigh.

I nodded in agreement as the gravestones came into view. My dad grabbed me by the shoulder, stopping me in my tracks, "Son. Look here." I folded my arms as my dad pointed to a plaque on the wall of the cemetery. It had the names of four different gravestone sections, and the locations.

"North – Waterview, South – Outback Desert, West – Business District, East – Club Town," I scoffed, "Club Town? What kind of name for a district is that?" My father chuckled alongside me.

"I went there once. There are some good strip clubs." I hit him on the shoulder playfully as I dragged my finger down the plaque.

Imagining my father going to a strip club nearly scarred me for life, so I quickly pushed those thoughts away, "Wonder why they have different district sections in an Outback Desert cemetery," I shrugged, "Anyway. To the south is the Outback Desert section, let's go." My dad was already walking to the Outback Desert section. I followed him close behind with a frown.

There were hundreds of graves here, and it unsettled me to no end. It didn't take long for me to feel unwelcome in this place, so I quickened my pace ten-fold. I scanned the names on the gravestones as we entered the Outback Desert section. A name caught my interest and I froze.

"I found her..." I said, breathlessly, as my father stopped beside me. He approached the grave and knelt in front of it, brushing his hair away from his eyes so he could read the engraved words on the stone.

"'Cherished and loved mother of...'" He paused. The name after it was scratched out, followed by the second name, "You and your sister's names are scratched out..." I nodded.

"K-Keep reading..." I rubbed my eyes and bit my lip.

"It just says the usual. 'Beloved wife of…' and then my name is scratched out. Who the hell would do that?" He grumbled. I sighed and looked away from the grave with a sigh, wiping tears away. My father continued talking, while I stared at the grave.

I felt the world slowly dissolve around me as an important memory returned.

 _I was sitting at the bottom of the staircase, crying heavily with my paws covering my eyes. I heard the footsteps of my mother as she came out from the kitchen, with a large frown on her face. Without warning, she scooped me up in her arms with a wide smile, "What's the matter, my little bunny?" She asked, a small smile gracing her lips._

" _I-I had a bad day at school..." I whimpered. I had turned five the day before school began, and my first few days didn't go so well. I was bullied and teased to no end, "M-My fwiends called me names...and said that I was ugly..." I continued sobbing heavily. My mother sighed and cradled me in her arms with a smile._

" _Hey...it's gonna be okay, darling..." She gave me a reassuring smile and stroked my hair, her smile fading shortly after, "What's that song that dad sings to you…?"_

 _I sniffled and nuzzled my nose against hers. She sighed and started singing in a gentle tone that made me feel safer than ever, "...sunshine...you are my sunshine..." The door slammed open, interrupting us._

 _My dad was standing there, holding a hard-hat in his paw. I stared at him in silence as he stormed past us. My mother was visibly shaken, but she continued to sing with a frown, "you make me happy...when skies are grey..."_

My eyes reopened. I wiped some tears away and rubbed my dad's shoulder, "…was mom always mean to you?" He choked on his sobs and collapsed on the ground, his knees resting against his chest as he avoided eye-contact with me.

"When I was working late at night when you were young...I would hardly get any sleep..." He continued crying. I stared at him wide-eyed as he continued, "...I would get home angry sometimes. I would never hit your mother...but words hurt worse than a fist..." He sighed softly.

"What did you do to her, dad…?" I was witnessing something that I would never see out of my father. He was regretful. I had never seen this side of him before.

"I was so angry...about so many things...t-there was no excuse," He looked up at me, "I stopped but...a year later, she started getting angry too...I don't excuse my behaviour...I-I'm so sorry..." He choked on his sobs once again. I exhaled and sat beside him, hugging him tightly.

"You're my dad...I-I forgive you..." I muttered, rubbing his shoulder supportively, "Let's get out of here...what do you say…?" I frowned. I still needed to look for my sister, but that would need to wait. My dad was not emotionally ready to see her, and she could wait a little longer, couldn't she?

I'd go to find her tomorrow instead.

I helped my father to his feet with a frown, "I-I'm so sorry…I just...I regret everything..." He continued sobbing, "Maybe if I was nicer, she wouldn't have left, and taken your sister with her...your childhood was ruined because of me..." My eyes widened as I heard this.

"Dad, my childhood was great!" I exclaimed, taking him off-guard, "With or without my mother and sister, you were always there for me...and I will love you for that." I stroked his shoulder with a smile. He sighed and started walking away from the grave with his paws in his pockets. I slowly followed him, glancing at the gravestone's names on the way out.

I paused as I noticed a few familiar names on some of the gravestones, "Foxy Cynical...Canis Grey…!?" I froze. My father turned to face me with widened eyes, "They're _dead_!?" I looked at the mounds in front of the graves and realised that they were empty.

"...to be buried," My father glanced at me, "Shit, man..." He trailed off.

"They can't be dead..." I rubbed my head. I froze as a van came through the front gate. We watched it drive past the grave-stones and beside a small shed. My eyes widened as I could see Canis Grey getting out of the van. He was carrying a vase of flowers. He rested it beside the van and got back in with a large frown on his face.

I then realised that he was driving the same van as the one I was being held in before, "Dad! Get in the car!" Before we knew it, we were running out of the cemetery. The van drove off without noticing us as we got in our car. I slammed my foot on the accelerator and turned the car around. The van turned off the dirt road and towards the free-way.

"It's heading back the way we went..." I muttered. My dad frowned and glanced at me.

"Why are we following this van, son?" He turned to look at me.

"I was kidnapped in this van!" I exclaimed, growling lowly, "And fucking Canis is driving it!" I shouted, as we followed the van onto the free-way. My dad was silent for the remainder of the trip, as the van pulled off of the free-way and in the direction of Freddy's house. I frowned as it slowed down and stopped on the side of the road.

We were on the same street as the police station, and this was the flower shop that Bonnie was talking about before! I stopped the car and narrowed my eyes as the van drove into the alleyway beside the flower shop. My father bit his lip and looked over at me.

I gasped as my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the caller-id. It was Freddy, "It's Freddy..." I trailed off, "Shit, what do I say?"

"Just say that you'll be home soon..." He shrugged, "We really need to investigate what this van has to with the people that took you and nearly murdered you..." I nodded and answered the phone.

"H-Hello…?" I answered in a quiet and timid tone.

"Clyde! Are you okay!?" Freddy exclaimed, "My car's gone…! Are you alright?" I could hear his footsteps, they were heavy and frantic.

"I'm fine Freddy. I just needed to borrow your car, I'm sorry..." I frowned.

"It's fine...I was...I was just worried I..." His tone lowered, "I just...I just wanted to talk to you but...if you're busy...it's fine..."

"I've got a lead, Freddy. We'll talk when I get back, okay? I promise..." I smiled. I swear my face lit up in a red tint as I could hear Freddy calm down at my words.

"…good luck. Please. Stay safe. Make sure your father keeps you safe. Okay?" He said, in a calm voice. I frowned and nodded, pressing my paw against the phone.

"He wants me to tell you to keep me safe," I chuckled, "Alright?" My dad grinned and nodded.

"I gotta go. We'll talk soon!" I exclaimed.

"See ya, bunny." He hung up. I sighed softly and slipped my phone in my pocket.

"He's a nice bear," I rubbed my shoulder, "Now, come on. Let's get into that florist..." I got out of the car, with my dad doing the same. I locked the car and slowly approached the florist alongside my father.

"Wanna buy some flowers for your date while we're here?" He smirked at me. I folded my arms and shook my head as we walked closer to the florist.

"I'll follow the van, you go inside. Cool?" I tilted my head to the side. He nodded and frowned at me, while rubbing my shoulder reassuringly.

"Stay safe, okay?" He asked, a small smile appearing on his face. I watched him walk into the florist with a frown on my face as I turned to face the alleyway that the van had driven through. The wind blew past me, and my hair blew in front of my eyes. I exhaled as I slowly walked into the alleyway, with a large frown on my face.

What was this feeling that I felt? It wasn't foreign, but I didn't feel it often. Of course.

I was terrified. I had been terrified before I got here, and I was terrified the day before. But being scared was ironically, a very scary thought. I sighed as I peered around the corner of the florist. My eyes widened as I saw the van parked behind the florist, with Canis loading boxes into the van.

I growled lowly as a female otter jumped out from the back of the van. She grumbled to Canis and said something to him, "...keep it up. We need to get going." Canis nodded as the otter walked into the florist with a frown. I sighed and bit my lip, almost tripping over a tin-can. My eyes widened as I kicked the can accidently and watched it roll in front of me.

I froze as I heard a growl, followed by light footsteps. A few seconds passed before I was face-to-face with Canis. My high school bully.

"C-Canis..." I stared at him. He and I locked eyes, and I could tell that he remembered me, "It's Clyde...please, don't hurt me…!" I exclaimed. He stared at me, just before he peeked around the corner of the building, then looked back at me.

"Clyde Donovan…? What on earth are you doing here?" Canis's voice hadn't changed a bit. It still sent shivers down my spine, and I felt like he was going to hit me again, "...I didn't think I'd see you again..."

"I was gonna get a job here...b-but stuff happened..." I trailed off, "Why are you working with _them_?" My eyes narrowed. He frowned and folded his arms, shaking his head from side to side, his ears flattening against his head as he did so.

"I was forced to. If it keeps my family out of debt, then this is all I can do," Canis shrugged, "And besides, I'm kinda forced to, there really nothing else I can do." I frowned at him and shook my head.

"Canis! Where'd you go!?" I could hear that otter's voice from behind the building. I stared wide-eyed at Canis, my lip quivering as he came closer to me.

"We're slaves. All predators are. You should be checking on your home-front. They've been keeping tabs on you," He glanced around the side of the building, "Here, take this," He handed me a slip of paper, "Look at it when you get home, where your safe. It's important." He ran around the side of the building. I peered around the corner and watched the otter come out from the florist with a bored expression on her face.

"Took you long enough," She pet him on the shoulder, "Come along, pup. The Penguin wants to see you." Canis stared at her wide-eyed.

"The boss wants to see me?" He frowned, "You mean…t-the penguin you work with or… _The_ Penguin…?" The otter rolled her eyes and pushed him into the van's drivers' seat.

"Drive." She said, as the van turned around. I gasped and ran away from the corner, and around the front of the building, out of sight from Canis as he drove out of the alleyway and back onto the road. I frowned and glanced at the front door of the florist as my dad came out from the building.

"Find anything in there?" I asked with a frown. My dad shook his head with a frown.

"It was painfully normal and average in there. The friendly woman at the cash-register…the quiet customers…that's it!" He exclaimed, "I hope you found something interesting."

"Well, I spoke with Canis. He told me that he's helping them to keep his family out of debt, and he's 'kind of forced' to." I shrugged.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. Something tells me we've got a few more eyes on us now, than before we arrived here," My dad rubbed my shoulder and started walking back towards the car. I looked down at the ground and trailed behind him closely. Something told me that we weren't the only people on this street. I turned around, my ears perking as I heard a trash-can being knocked over in the same alleyway we came out of.

I jogged to the car and sat in the driver's seat. My dad passed me the keys and I slipped it into the ignition with a frown. I turned the key as the doors were shut, and pulled onto the road, "We're heading home?" Dad's eyes darted in my direction.

I nodded, "I think we can continue this tomorrow. We all need a good night's rest…"

"You need one more than any of us…" Dad shrugged, "After all of the stuff you've been through…if it weren't for your survival skills, you would have died out there." I looked over at him as we approached Freddy's house. I pulled the car to the side of the road and bit my lip.

"I chose to help out my friends, dad…" I sighed, "And that required doing something illegal. And it almost got me killed. So, what? I'm here, aren't I?"

"At least I can rely on Freddy and his father to keep you safe when I can't," He trailed off, "It's like your family to them now." His frown faded into a smile. I returned the smile and got out of the car.

My father and I approached the front door in silence. Before we even reached the door, Senior opened it with a smirk on his face, "Glad to see you guys in one piece. Come on inside." He moved out of the way and let us walk in. I nodded and walked inside, with my father trailing close behind me.

Before I knew it, I was pulled against brown fur. I smiled as I returned the hug. I looked up to see Freddy looking at me with a grin. He pulled away and rubbed his shoulder as Bonnie came out of the bedroom, "Glad to see you guys are alright. Clyde, we need to talk. Freddy can wait. This is relevant." Freddy winced at that, but he seemed to understand.

Senior closed the door as my father walked into the kitchen. Before I knew it, he and Senior were engaged in conversation as Bonnie and I walked down the corridor leading to the main bedroom, where all of our investigative objects were being kept. I could hear Freddy sighing, and as I turned to glance at him, he was already out of sight.

Bonnie opened the door and let me go inside first, shutting the door behind him as he entered, "Sorry about that. Freddy hasn't stopped talking about you since you left, and I was worried we wouldn't be able to progress."

"Was it important?" I followed him over to the bulletin board.

"I'm not sure, he refused to tell me," Bonnie shrugged, "Anyway. Where did you guys go off to? I assume it was relevant?" I nodded.

"I went to Outback Cemetery so see my mother's grave, she…" I frowned. Bonnie's ears flattened, "Yeah…she's dead. In the graves nearby though…there was a grave for…Canis Grey," I pressed my finger against Canis's file, "And one for Officer Foxy." Bonnie nodded and folded his arms. He then froze as he realised what I meant.

"Wait. He's _dead_!?" He exclaimed, holding his ears. My eyes widened as I reached out to him.

"N-No, no! Both of the graves were empty!" I shouted, "W- We followed the van out of the cemetery. I recognised it as the one that took me…we followed it back to a florist, where I met with Canis…" I paused.

"Wait. The people who took you in that van were going to kill you, right?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah, but…they said they were going to bury me where I was gonna die, in the forest…" I shrugged.

"What if they were lying…?" Bonnie questioned, "Criminals aren't exactly the most honest of individuals…" I paced back and forth with a frown, before stopping in my tracks.

"…Canis is next…" My eyes widened. Bonnie rubbed his eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, "We need to focus on Foxy, and keeping you safe! Speaking of…where the hell is he?" Bonnie's eyes narrowed.

"I-I'm not sure…I haven't seen him…" I rubbed my ear, "But…maybe he isn't dead yet. Maybe they're gonna kill him after Canis!" I exclaimed. Bonnie looked at me as if he was crazy.

I froze as I remember that Canis had given to me before he left. I pulled the slip of paper from my pocket and felt my heart sink as it read; 'I'm sorry for everything.' I held the slip of paper and glanced at the back of it.

There was a logo on the back of it that read; 'Barney's Pharmaceutical Company.'

"A business card…" I passed it to Bonnie before returning to what I was saying before, "One of the people that took me…an otter. She said that Canis has to see 'the boss'. Something's telling me that he's gonna get a bullet in his head."

"We're gonna need him alive, Clyde!" Bonnie exclaimed, "He could tell us _everything_." I nodded in response. I flinched as I heard the door creak a little. Freddy was standing there with a frown on his face.

"I can drive," His ears flattened, "I need to help somehow. And I know the area." I nodded. It was about time that Freddy and I did something else together. Bonnie frowned and glanced at us.

"You guys could die there, you do realise this, right?" Bonnie growled lowly, "I'm coming with you. I'll be your cover."

"You don't have a weapon!" Freddy whisper-shouted.

"Who says I need a weapon to cover people?" Bonnie shrugged, "Phones, remember?"

"This is really dangerous guys…" I trailed off, "You think we could get Canis out of there alive?"

"I-I mean…" I continued with a frown, "How are we even supposed to get him out of there?"

"I'm not sure…" Bonnie bit his lip, "But we've gone this far. And we can't lose him after all of this. This could be our big break!" He exclaimed. Freddy and I looked at each-other. I could see the fear in his eyes, and I knew he could see my fear in my own. For some reason, we both agreed by nodding and looked back over at Bonnie.

"We've got this…" Freddy whispered to himself. I rubbed his shoulder supportively and smiled at him. He returned the smile and tapped his pocket, "I have my phone, and Bonnie has his. Contact us on a group call when we get there. And when we tell you to shut up, you need to shut up, alright? Cause one false move, or a wrongly-timed conversation, and we're dead."

I froze up at this, and Bonnie did too. Freddy frowned and folded his arms, "Don't worry…we've got this…right…?" I frowned at him, but nodded alongside him as Bonnie glanced at the bulletin board.

"He jumped in a van fifteen minutes ago with her, if we can find out where they were going…" I bit my lip, "Wait. If they were gonna kill him…they'd throw his body in the cemetery, right?"

"They'd probably assassinate him t the cemetery…!" Bonnie exclaimed, "It was different for you…and that was because from what we all know…you were the only prey that they were gonna kill."

"Well, if the van has already left that place, we should get going before they kill Canis!" Freddy exclaimed. Bonnie and I nodded as we followed him out of the room and down the corridor. Bonnie opened the front door and walked outside, with me following close behind. I paused and looked behind me as Senior rested aa paw on Freddy's shoulder.

"…stay safe, Fred," He smiled at him, "Whatever you're doing. Keep safe. Remember, people would miss you…" Freddy's smile faded into a frown as he nodded. I rubbed his shoulder reassuringly as I walked to the car. Bonnie got into the driver's seat, and I got into the passenger seat. Freddy opened the back door and sat in the back-seat, while I glanced at the front door of the house.

My father and Senior were standing there with frowns on their faces. They were waving, as if they were never gonna see us again. I smiled and waved at them as Bonnie pulled away from the house and towards the free-way.

"Luckily I remember where Outback Desert is," Bonnie shrugged, "You ever find your sister out there?" He pulled out of the street and onto a ramp leading to the free-way.

I shook my head, "Didn't have the time or emotional courage to proceed that far yet, but I'll find her, eventually…" I frowned.

"Come on, Bon. Speed up, we probably should get there before our man gets murdered." Bonnie growled lowly and nodded in response as he sped up. Before we knew it, we were on the free-way. Bonnie pulled the car to the right, merging with the other vehicles as the sun finally set.

I exhaled shakily as my nerves caught up with me. Bonnie pulled off of the free-way and drove down the exit leading towards Outback Desert. Freddy leant forward and tapped me on the shoulder.

"All good, bunny?" He asked, in a calm tone.

"I-I just…I'm worried…" I trailed off. How could he be so calm about all of this?

"I know, I am too…I just find it hard to show it, you know…" He shrugged. The car stopped, and Bonnie glanced at us.

"At least we've got the cover of darkness. I'll climb atop of one of the concrete walls and watch from a distance. You guys get close and see what you can do." Freddy and I nodded as we got out of the car. As we got closer to the cemetery, it became clear that Bonnie was right.

The van that Canis was driving was parked beside the same shed it was before, but with the lights on, and all of the doors open. Freddy stuck close behind me as I peered around the wall, my eyes widening as I noticed Canis speaking with the penguin that had taken me before.

Surely, he wasn't the boss…was he?

I frowned and perked my ears so I could hear what they were saying, "How long until I meet the boss?" Canis asked, shaking in his shoes, "I don't see him…"

"He'll be here soon, don't worry…" The penguin nodded with a grin. I noticed the otter come out from behind the van with a smirk on her face. She was holding a gun in her paws.

I gasped silently as she pressed it to Canis's back with a smirk, "Move it." Canis whimpered as he was forced to walk forward, as the penguin and otter followed him closely.

"What are we gonna do, Clyde?" I frowned and rubbed my temple.

"Stay down. I don't see any henchmen…" I scanned the area and started moving towards the three anthros quietly, "Stay with me…I-I think I have an idea."

I had no idea what I was going to do. I had million ideas of what could potentially go wrong, but I had no ideas that could benefit our situation. We got closer and closer, but we didn't hear any talking. I frowned as I noticed them slowly approaching my mother's grave, then they stopped in front of the two empty mounds belonging to Officer Foxy, and the about-to-be murdered; Canis Grey.

"We need to act, now!" Freddy exclaimed loud enough for me to hear. I frowned and looked around frantically for some sort of answer. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I quickly answered it and rested it against my ear.

"Bonnie, what do we do!?" I exclaimed into the phone. I could hear a sigh, followed by a curse under Bonnie's breath.

"I'm really hoping this works…!" He hung up on me, and before I could do anything, I heard a glass-bottle shatter in Bonnie's direction. Freddy and I took cover behind two large gravestones. I peered around the side of it and watched the otter hand the gun to the penguin, and start to walk in the direction of the sound, with a knife in her paw.

"Don't die, Bonnie…" Freddy muttered to himself, as I pressed my paw against Freddy's chest, "Huh...?"

"Stay here," I smiled at him, "I got this." Before Freddy could say anything, I was creeping through some bushes, heading into the direction of where the penguin was holding the gun to Canis's head.

"…come on, Mr Peng. Please, understand…" Canis whimpered, "I-I would never rat you out. I swear! The boss knows how reliable I am! Just ask him!" The penguin cocked the gun and pushed it against Canis's back.

I lowered my ears so they weren't sticking out of the grass as I slowly approached, "Jump in," The penguin grinned, "Into the hole, let's go!" Canis grumbled to himself and suddenly pushed the penguin off of him.

It was time to get going. I quickly pushed myself off my knees and tackled the penguin. I held the handle of the gun, with the penguin's face just resting against mine. I heard a shot ring out, and before I knew it, the penguin and I were tumbling towards the empty grave of Officer Foxy.

I groaned as my shoulder connected with the hard ground. I looked up through the hole, as the struggling from the penguin ceased, and I passed out.

 ***le gasp***

 **Also; as per usual, don't forget to review! And be sure to vote in the poll! It closes in** _ **three days.**_

 **Lastly, I'm working on a cover-art for this story :3**

 **\- RSM**


	15. Chapter Fifteen - Bacon and Eggs

I was conscious, but I couldn't move. My eyelids fluttered, and I could hear people talking.

"…can you get him out of there?" I heard Freddy's voice, which was followed by Canis' voice.

"Give me a second…he's deep down there…maybe I could reach down there…"

"Canis, right? Maybe I could help you down-…what are you doing!?"

"Going down to get him!"

"Don't jump down, you probably won't be able to get out…!"

"So be it…"

My eyes closed and I fell unconscious.

" _Clyde. Get up." My eyes opened. This wasn't the time to be dreaming…what the hell was gonna happen now? I sighed as I found myself standing in the middle of my classroom. I was rubbing my paws together nervously as my twelve-year old self stood in the centre of the classroom. The teacher and all of the students were staring at me._

 _My father had moved with me to a new town a few years after my mother took my sister, and this was my first day at school. Before I even got into the school, Canis had constantly harassed me, and the teacher had put the spotlight on me in front of the class by asking…_

" _We've got a new student with us today!" A pink and white fox was leaning against her desk, rubbing her red cheeks with her paws, "You there! Tell us a little bit about yourself!"_

"… _I'm Clyde I…my daddy and I moved here after my mommy took away my sister…" I heard a few snickers from nearby._

' _He calls his father; 'daddy'?'_

' _What a child.'_

' _He looks like a wimp.'_

 _I sniffled as tears trailed down my face and I looked down at the ground, my ears flopping over my eyes. The teacher frowned and bit her muzzle, "…thank you, Clyde. You can sit down now." I flopped into my seat and curled up with a frown._

My eyes opened once again. I was so sick of only remembering the bad things that happened in my childhood. I needed to stop thinking about this. And the only way I probably could, was that I needed to find my sister. Wherever the hell she was. I felt a paw on my arm, which caused me to flinch.

"Hey…" I was face-to-face with Canis, "I'm gonna get you outta here…" He grumbled, glancing at the hole, "It's high, but I can get you out," He nodded, then bit his muzzle and rubbed his shoulder, "Thanks. For saving me. I don't know why you would do that…after the way I treated you."

"Nobody deserves to go through shit like this…" I grumbled, "We'll both get out of here." I glanced at the body of the penguin and ran my paws across him. I bit my lip as I pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"What is it?" Canis glanced at me. I flipped the paper over, and I noticed a logo on it for what seemed to be a club of some sort.

"'Club Rango,'" I raised an eyebrow, "Some place in the club district…" Canis nodded and bit his lip, "Let's get out of here…" Canis nodded and picked me up. He lifted me onto his shoulders as I reached for the edge of the hole.

My eyes widened as tough brown paws grabbed my paws. I was slowly lifted, and Canis grabbed my legs. Freddy was pulling us out of the grave.

I panted heavily as he finally pulled us both out. I coughed and wheezed as dust filled my lungs.

I rubbed my eyes and curled up in a ball as I could feel cold chills brushing past my shoulders. Freddy frowned and slowly approached me, kneeling beside me with his ears flopping to the side, "…are you okay?"

"Right now…I just wanna go home…" I muttered. Canis folded his arms and looked away from me, "Canis…are you alright?"

"I'm alive…haha…" Canis glanced at us, "Guess I should've known they'd try to kill me…I…I need to get out of this town…" Freddy nodded and looked over at me.

"Where did you want to go?" Freddy glanced at him.

Canis frowned and shook his head, "It won't take long to figure out that one of their best thugs is dead, and that I'm still alive. I need to take the first plane out of here…"

"Bonnie can drive us to the airport…" Freddy frowned, as he looked over at me. I was shaking due to the cold and my breathing quickened as I shivered, brushing Freddy off with a frown.

"Speaking of; where is he?" I tilted my head, while Freddy looked in the direction of the car.

"He took cover behind the car. I'm not sure where the otter is, but I think she's gone…" Canis nodded as we started to walk away from the grave. I looked up, only to see Canis and Freddy exchanging looks, but refusing to talk to one-another any further.

"Before we go any further," Freddy paused, stopping Canis in his tracks, "Do you know who is controlling all of this…everything, I mean."

Canis frowned, "I've only met him once. He's terrifying. His name is-…" His collar shocked him, "Shit, I can't say his name…fucking collar!" He pulled at it.

"I know someone in Zootopia who can get that taken off. You can tell us who it is over the phone, then…" Freddy suggested. Canis nodded and folded his arms.

The trip back to the car was filled with silence. Bonnie was sitting in the driver's seat, staring into space. I waved at him and caught his attention. He smiled at me as Freddy opened the passenger side door and Canis sat in the front passenger seat. I opened the back left door of the car and rested on the seat, closing the door afterwards. I glanced to my right after I slipped on my seat-belt, only to see Freddy sitting on the right side of the back-seat.

"Glad to see you're alright," Bonnie glanced at me, "Both of you," Then he looked over at Canis with a smile and turned around, pulling back onto the road leading towards the free-way, "So…where are we going, guys?"

"I can't stay here," Canis grumbled, "I need to get to the airport. I have enough for a ticket to Zootopia…" Canis sighed, "I just hope my life can be better there…"

"I swear, everything seems to be so much better there," I muttered, "But whatever…at least you'll have a better life there." Freddy winced and stroked my shoulder with a frown.

"Things'll get better here," He smiled, "Especially with you here to help us out with this investigation," His smile faded into a frown, "You…don't regret coming here, right…?" I didn't say anything further, and the car was filled with awkward silence until we reached the airport.

I got out of the car and folded my arms as Canis approached the front of the airport. I glanced back at the car, and noticed Freddy and Bonnie talking with each-other. I knew they weren't gonna follow Canis and I in, so I just stuck close to the wolf as we walked through the airport. I glanced at a monitor near the front door, and saw the leaving flights for Zootopia, "There's a flight leaving in ten minutes for Zootopia," Canis nodded and approached a counter while I looked around the airport with folded arms, "Damn…" I muttered to myself as my eyes wandered around the place.

I had only been here for a few weeks, and it had felt like hundreds of years. I missed my old town with a passion, and I wasn't sure if I regretted leaving there or not. Freddy is one of the only reasons I stay here. The other one being that I almost died trying to find out where the missing predators were.

If I almost died once, there's a low chance I could almost die again, right?

I don't know what was thinking, but it didn't matter. I couldn't let my friends down. Not again.

Canis approached me slowly with a frown on his face, clutching a ticket in his right paw, "Alright…my money's gone, but I'm ready to head to Zootopia…" He bit his muzzle, looking at me with a smile on his face, "You saved my life, Clyde. I will never forget this."

"I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you," Canis trailed off, "I was a piece of shit, and I didn't ever deserve to be saved by you. I'm just lucky that you don't seem to hold a grudge…" I paused and felt anger course through my veins as another memory was triggered.

 _I shut my locker and stroked the side of it with a frown as tears trailed down my face. I sniffled and rubbed my muzzle as I felt a presence behind me. I groaned as I was slammed against my locker, my books falling onto the ground. I whimpered as my back rested against the locker and slid down onto the floor in the middle of the books._

 _I looked up and saw Canis standing in front of me with a massive grin on her face, "How's it going, prey? You walked away before I was finished with you!" He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and held me over his shoulders, "You will never amount to anything…I hope you know that."_

" _Worthless piece of meat," He spat in my face, "I hope I never see you again after you finish school. Cause if I do, you'll realise that in the real world, you're just a little worthless rabbit, and I'll be at the top of the food chain, looking down on you as you go through all of your bullshit!" I exploded into tears as he dropped me back onto the ground, just as the bell rung._

" _See ya soon, meat." He gnashed his teeth at me and ran off._

I felt tears trail down my face as I looked away from Canis. He touched my shoulder gently, and I brushed him off. He walked around the side of me and stood in front of me, resting his paw beneath my chin and raising my chin so that we were looking each-other in the eyes.

"Worthless piece of meat…" I muttered, sniffling. Canis winced and I could see his face scrunch up as I repeated a few of the insults he'd spat at me over the years, "Prey, meat, faggot, worthless, trash, waste of space…"

"Did you really mean all of that?" I finally looked him in the eyes. He sighed and shook his head.

"I…I was a total piece of shit in high-school…" He trailed off, "My attitude didn't go anywhere…I…I dropped out in grade eleven…worked at a fast-food company…then I moved here with my friend…" He sniffled.

"Then I started to realise how ignorant I was," He rubbed his eyes. I was surprised to see actual tears forming at the bottom of his eyes, "The world doesn't work that way. In places like this, everyone is accepted for who they want to be," He coughed, "I bullied my friend horrendously when we moved here…he jumped off a building soon after…" I had been seeing so many different sides to so many different people. People really could change in the worst of situations.

"My dad said he was ashamed of me…" He looked away from me, "My mom was addicted to drugs…so I never spent time with her. My dad was rich, and left right before I dropped out of high-school…things started going downhill for me. Eventually, I got so angry that I pushed a kid in front of a bus…" He coughed and started crying uncontrollably. I rested a paw on his shoulder, he winced and brushed me off.

He turned to me, in the middle of the airport, and shouted in my face, "He was in a coma for two years!" He exclaimed. I cowered and backed away from him, as people nearly started to stare. Canis exhaled and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm doing it again…" He trailed off, "I'm a piece of shit, I'm sorry." I reached up to his face and rested a finger beneath his eyes, wiping his tears away.

"Flight 45 to Zootopia is leaving in three minutes. All passengers please proceed to the terminal." A woman over a loudspeaker said.

"How can you be so nice to people that treat you like shit?" Canis asked, glancing at the terminal.

"Everyone can change," I shrugged with a simple grin, "Good luck in Zootopia. If you end up getting aa phone or something…please, send me a message to tell me how you're doing!" He grabbed me and hugged him tightly. My eyes widened, but I returned the hug with a smile.

"I gotta go! Bye Clyde!" He ran off, waving at me with a big smile on his face. I sighed and rubbed my eyes as I walked out of the airport and approached the car. Freddy opened the door for me and I sat in the back-seat beside him.

"You alright?" Freddy asked in a gentle tone. Bonnie peered over the back of the seat and glanced at me. I didn't respond and just curled up in my seat. Bonnie frowned and switched on the car, pulling back onto the road. I stared out of the window with a frown on my face as grey clouds slowly started to cover the sky.

As the car stopped in front of the house, rain was pouring heavily, and as I opened the door, I got a massive chill. I shivered and slammed the door behind me as I walked around the car and approached the house. Freddy and Bonnie were following close behind, as I opened the front door and trudged through the house.

My father was standing near the bathroom, "Not now, dad…" I walked into the bathroom and closed the door. I rested my back against the door and slid down to the ground, cupping my paws over my eyes. I could hear murmuring on the other side of the door for a few minutes after that, as I rubbed my eyes.

I came out of the bathroom an hour later. I glanced down the hallway and saw Freddy standing alone in the living room, while I could hear murmuring coming from Senior's bedroom turned investigation centre.

I decided to avoid any conversation and just wandered into my room. I took off my pants and shirt and crawled under the covers of my bed. I curled up in a ball and closed my eyes.

I awoke a few hours later. I pushed myself off of the bed and rested against the dresser, sighing softly as I rubbed my eyes, "What time is it…?" I stretched and walked out of my bedroom. I adjusted my boxers and walked into the bathroom.

I looked up at the mirror and then proceeded to switch on the faucet, resting my paws beneath it, I slammed my paws against my face, dousing my face with freezing water. I winced and turned off the faucet.

I walked out of the bathroom and down the hallway leading into the living room, then proceeded to sit on the couch and curl up. I didn't wanna go back to sleep. I was sleeping off and on, each time I fell asleep a nightmare would continue from where it left off.

My ears perked at the sound of heavy footsteps, and before I knew it, Freddy was sitting beside me on the couch. Where the hell did he come from?

"Oh…hey…" I trailed off, sniffling. Freddy sighed and rested his head against the top of the couch.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" He asked, glancing at me. I nodded in response to this, frowning slightly as a smile appeared on his face, "Neither can I. Especially after yesterday..." I yawned and pushed myself off the side of the couch and scooched a little closer to the bear. Before I knew it, he was hugging me tightly. He pulled away after a few seconds, with a frown on his face.

My ears flatten as he looked down, "You almost died yesterday," He looked back up at me with aa shameful expression on his face, "You've almost died more than once. Clyde, we really shouldn't be putting you in danger like this."

"I don't care what you say," I growled slightly, which seemed to surprise him. It surprised myself aswell. I knew I was serious about this, and I had decided that it was my responsibility to save these people. Hmph, pretty pretentious and noble, huh, "I'm not letting anybody down again."

"We still need to find your sister…" He bit his lip. I nodded and folded my arms, looking away from the bear, "You think we'll find her?"

"We have to," I felt myself smile again, "And once we do…we can finally figure out what's really going on, right?"

"Right." Freddy nodded.

"We still need to find Foxy, and the other predators…we've got a lot of work to do…" I sighed and rubbed my eyes, "I'm just glad that you're here…I dunno if I'd get through this without you here…" He turned to look at me with a smile.

"You're the only person I can trust…you're amazing…" He muttered. I blushed heavily as my tail swished back and forth, sometimes gently slapping the side of the couch. Freddy leant forward, edging closer to me with aa smile on his face, and I finally realised something about myself that I had been hiding from myself for a long time.

I was gay, and I was in love with Freddy. And I knew it. I didn't hesitate to lean forward and press my lips against his. He kissed me gently, with me losing myself in his taste as his body inched closer to mine. Before I knew it, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him. I moaned softly as he pulled his lips away from mine.

"F-Freddy I…" He held me tightly, so my head was resting on his chest, "I'm sorry…" He stroked my cheek gently and pet my head with his other paw.

"What are you sorry for…?" He asked me in a gentle tone. It took me a few seconds to come up with a response. So many things were happening at once and I started to feel disoriented.

"I've been in the closet for so many years…and I've thought about you…a-a lot…I just, I'm sorry it took so long…" I trailed off. Freddy pushed me off gently and pulled me into his lap so my chest was brushing against his clothed chest.

"Don't be sorry, bunny…" He muttered, causing me to fall silent. I leant forward and tilted my head to the side as I started to kiss him passionately. He ran his paws down my chest and nipped at my neck as I moaned heavily. He pushed me off of him as he stood up, picking me up once against and pushing me against the wall gently.

He kissed me deeply and took off his shirt, pulling away from me with a worried expression, "…Clyde I…" I smiled and stroked his cheek, nodding at him with grin, "…are you sure you wanna do this?" I nodded once again.

I knew I was in love with him, so I couldn't resist him any longer, "Yeah…" I said, breathless. Freddy grinned and kissed me deeper as he carried me down the hallway and into the bedroom, gently shutting the door behind him while I giggled.

My eyes opened slowly the following morning. I was smiling, and I felt warm and safe. I looked around, and sighed softly as I felt warm fur holding me against a furry chest. I looked up and saw Freddy's cute face, snoring softly as his head was resting on the pillow. I tried to pry myself from his grip, but his grip was way too strong for me.

I found it hard to complain though. I had made love to somebody who I respected and who hadn't dumped me. I was wrapped in their arms, and for the first time in aa long time, I felt warm and safe. I looked at the floor beside the bed, smirking as I noticed my boxers and Freddy's boxers and jeans lying beside it.

It felt weird to be naked in bed, but I didn't care. But then I started thinking...

 _What if he wakes up and realises he's made a big mistake?_ I felt my lip quiver, _What's wrong with me? Why would he want me?_ And then I looked up. Freddy was looking at me with the widest grin, and he did something that I didn't expect _at all._

He gently pressed his lips against my fore-head and kissed me gently, pulling away with aa smile, "I don't wanna get up…" He grumbled, "I wanna stay here forever…"

"You aren't the only one, sweetie…" I muttered, blushing heavily after I just realised what I had just said. He smirked and stroked my cheek.

"Sweetie, huh?" Freddy chuckled. I glanced over at the dresser and noticed my watch resting atop of it. I reached out, but before I could grab it, Freddy had already snatched it.

I rolled my eyes with a grin as Freddy rested it back on the dresser, "It's 10AM…" He trailed off, "We really should get back to the investigation…" He trailed off. I pushed myself off of him and stretched. I could feel Freddy's eyes in the back of my head, which caused me to blush.

"You don't look half bad…" He muttered. I bit my lip and slipped a pair of boxers on and approached the door, "Where are you goin'…?" He grumbled.

"Gonna take a shower…" I shrugged, glancing back at him.

"Want company?" I blushed heavily and looked away from him with a grin.

"N-Nah…I'll be fine…" I could hear him giggling as I walked across the hallway and into the bathroom. After having a warm shower, I strolled back into my room and slipped some new clothes on.

I yawned and stretched ass I walked down the hallway leading into the living room. I paused as I noticed Freddy in the kitchen, with the biggest smile on his face. Bonnie and Senior were talking to each-other, while Niall (my father), was on the phone to somebody in Senior's room.

I glanced at Freddy and leant against the side of the wall with a smile. He was humming to himself while he was in the middle of making breakfast. From the looks of it, it was eggs and bacon, which caused me to lick my lips. Maybe things would get better here after-all. Besides, everything is better with bacon.

I sighed softly as I felt butterflies in my stomach. Nobody else had any idea what had happened last night, right? So what were they gonna think…? I gasped as Niall tapped me on the shoulder, alerting the other's to my presence, "Mornin' champ." He smiled.

I grinned and folded my arms, "Hi dad…" Bonnie and Senior were glancing at me, while I could see Freddy's grin widen from a distance. Niall walked past me and leant against the back of the couch.

"Smells nice," He sniffed the air, "What is it?" Freddy smirked and looked at me.

"Bacon and eggs," He said, "Clyde mentioned that he was a big fan of meat." I nearly choked at that, what was he trying to do, make me die of laughter? Because I was giggling like a mad-man. Bonnie raised an eyebrow, then rolled his eyes and went back to talking with Senior.

I strolled into the kitchen, "Meat, really?" I chuckled softly. He giggled as he rested some bacon and eggs on multiple plates.

"Sorry, I know it was cringy…" He handed me a plate, "But I thought it was funny."

"It was," I pet him on the shoulder and walked over to the couch, "You comin'?" He carried some plates over to us and handed them to Niall, Bonnie and Senior. I sat on the edge of the couch and switched on the television, while Freddy sat on the floor.

I smirked and got off the couch, sitting beside Freddy. It took me a few seconds to realise that I was resting my head on his shoulder while I was eating, but he didn't seem to care. I got aa few looks of confusion from the others, though.

After we finished our food, Freddy and I sat in silence as we watched some rip-off cartoon. I glanced at Freddy, but before I could say anything, Freddy pressed his lips against mine. I kissed back, then pulled away after a few seconds.

"Well damn…" Bonnie was staring at us with a grin. I had forgotten they had no idea about us, and I had remembered what I thought my father would react. I stared at him wide-eyed.

He had a shocked expression on his face, while Senior just shrugged and continued watching the television, "Dad, I…" My ears flattened. Niall ruffled my hair with a grin and continue watching the television. I glanced at Freddy, my frown fading into aa smile, "I don't think he hates me." I whispered into the bear's ear.

Freddy smiled and stroked my shoulder gently as we continued watching the television.

After an hour, Freddy and I wandered into Senior's bedroom, where Bonnie was staring at the bulletin board. He turned to look at us, "Oh, hey guys." Bonnie smirked at us.

"Hi…" Freddy trailed off, "So…what're we gonna do now?" I approached the bulletin board and shook my head, "Clyde?"

"Canis is safe," I grabbed a permanent maker from the table and drew a line through Canis's record, then drew a line through my mom's record. I sighed and stared at my sister's record, "My mom's dead, the wolves are dead, the penguin is dead…right now, we've got two things."

"What's the first thing?" Bonnie asked, glancing at the table.

"I need to find my sister," I muttered. Bonnie and Freddy nodded in agreement, "But I have something else."

"What is it?" Freddy asked, frowning slightly as I left the room. I walked into my bedroom and grabbed the pants I wore yesterday, fumbling through its pockets until I found the business card from the night before. I walked back into Senior's room and rested it on the table.

"'Club Rango'…?" Bonnie tilted his head, "That's a club in the Club District, isn't it?" I nodded in response in this and tapped the card.

"It was in that penguin's pockets," I shrugged, "So maybe it's relevant."

Bonnie agreed with me, with his arms folded, "We should head there as soon as possible."

"Can we go there tonight…?" I asked, biting my lip, "I wanna find my sister…" Freddy nodded and glanced at Bonnie.

"Fine. I'll wait till you guys get home," Bonnie nodded, "Don't take your time, though. We need to go check this place out as soon as possible." Freddy and I looked at each-other with frowns as Bonnie walked out.

Freddy grabbed my paw and led me out of the room, and out of the house, "I'll drive you there. You remember the address, right?" I nodded as I sat in the passenger seat. Freddy sat in the driver's seat and rubbed his eyes.

"We're gonna stay together, no matter what happens, okay?" Freddy asked, looking up at me, "I can't lose you now." I frowned and stroked his cheek.

"Nobody is losing anybody…we're gonna find her…and we're gonna find the others. Right?" I smiled at him. He sighed and kissed my cheek. He stuck the key into the ignition and rested his foot on the accelerator as he put the car into reverse. He looked back at me, a small smile making its way onto his face;

"Right."

 **Fifteen chapters in, and they finally kiss! :D**

 **RSM**


	16. Chapter Sixteen - A Long Day

It felt like forever since I felt happy. That day was going so well, that it almost got to a point where I could hardly believe what was happening. Freddy was behind the wheel of the car, as I was looking out of the window once again; taking in the scenery.

When was the last time I held a camera? Or took any pictures? I had a hundred thoughts flowing through my mind, and I was worried. Freddy was silent during the entire trip. Was he considering the fact that maybe I'm a bad person…? And that I'm not worth it...?

I sighed softly and relaxed in my chair with a frown. Freddy obviously saw this, because he was looking at me with a confused expression. He had just driven off the free-way and we had just passed the Outback Desert Cemetery, "Hey. You alright?" He asked, in a smooth tone.

"Yeah, just got a lot of things on my mind…" I trailed off, looking away from the bear.

"Is there anything I can do?" Freddy tilted his head, "We've still got at least ten minutes before we're supposed to get there. Thanks to this," He held up his phone, which had a sat-nav app on-screen, "So we've got time to talk."

"You can tell me anything," Freddy put his phone down, "I hope you know that."

"I do…I-I'm sorry." My ears flattened.

"Don't apologize, bunny," Freddy sighed, "You have nothing to apologize for, okay?" I nodded and looked back at him, "So, tell me what's on your mind."

"Well, there's one thought that's been prevalent in my mind for the last few hours," I started with a frown, "What…what if I'm not the right one, Freddy?"

"What do you mean? The right one for what, bunny?" Freddy's ears lowered.

"For…anything…" I glanced at the window once more, "To try to find these predators…to be yours…anything like that…" Freddy shook his head and sunk his teeth gently into his bottom lip.

"You were the only person I knew, who tried to take action, and actually got somewhere," Freddy began, "Foxy is your friend, and you've got friends who will be here for you when things go down, you know?" Freddy glanced at me with a smile, "There's something about your smile…the way you talk, and the way you convey your emotions…" He trailed off.

"You are the only prey who has ever tried to help us," Freddy looked down at himself. His collar was still wrapped around his neck, "I really want to take this thing off. I know every predator hates these things. But if we get them taken off…or take them off ourselves…usually we're never heard from again."

"We need a put a stop to this. And I'm lucky that I met someone as perfect as you to lead the charge against whoever is doing this to us," Freddy's smile faded, "You're changing millions of lives…" My tail swished back and forth with a smile, "Tell you what. When things quiet down…and we're somewhere private. I'll…I'll do whatever I can to make you feel better." I blushed heavily and folded my arms.

"I-I'm fine," I blushed deeper, "I like…cuddling, though. I could cuddle you for hours," I trailed off, "You're really warm, and it feels like I'm being held in the arms of a stuffed plush bear." Freddy smiled as we drove past a large sign that read; 'Outback Desert'.

"That can be arranged," Freddy chuckled lightly, "Is there anything else, bunny?"

"Well…this is probably stupid…" I chuckled, "But after doing all this investigating…I would love to be a police officer…or at least do a job like that," I smiled, "It's weird. But I'm having fun. Imagine us! Two police officers patrolling the streets, taking down criminals."

"You're right, that is pretty stupid," He giggled. I smiled at him as he continued, "Can you see me wearing a police uniform? The vest wouldn't fit around me!"

"Well, that's true…" I chuckled and glanced at the window as we drove further into a town.

"Okay, the address…alright. So it should just be around this corner…" Freddy pulled the car to the left and slowed the car down until he reached a small brown house with a brown car out the front, "Here we are." He stopped the car. I exhaled shakily and glanced at the bear with a frown.

"I'm scared." I said.

"I know. I'm kinda scared too, just…just watch your back. You know who she works for," Freddy nodded with a smile. I opened the door and stepped outside, shutting the door gently behind me. I looked up at the house as Freddy came around the car and stood beside me. He extended his paw and I grabbed it tightly, "Let's go." He whispered, as we slowly approached the house in silence.

This was it. Finally, I would be able to see my sister. To actually speak to her and ask her so many questions. I was nervous, and I noticed that Freddy could tell, because my breathing was quickening as I got closer to the door, and my body was shaking. Freddy rested a paw on my chest and stopped me. He stroked my back supportively and kissed me on the cheek.

I turned to look at him and leant my fore-head against his, his nose brushing against mine, "Calm down…it's gonna be okay…" Freddy whispered. I nodded and gently pushed the bear away. I think he knew that I wanted to do this myself, but I made sure he came with me anyway.

I slowly approached the door and held up my arm. It took me a full minute to collide my fist with the door, and to knock on it. I lowered my arm, and a few seconds of awful silence followed it.

After those seconds past, the door opened. My eyes widened as I recognised the person standing there, but it wasn't my sister. It was that pink rabbit that I had bumped into on the street, the rabbit who found me in the police station and caught me.

I could tell that she recognised me, because she had a look of shock on her face. Freddy growled lowly as I slowly walked inside. She stepped out of the way and let us in, as Freddy closed the door behind us, "You're alive…" She muttered, "I…" I interrupted her before she could say anything else.

"Who are you?" I bluntly asked. She glanced to her left, and pointed to four comfortable chairs.

"Come…come sit…" She said. Freddy and I glanced at each-other before we slowly approached the chairs. I sat down on the one closest to the door, while the woman sat opposite me. Freddy dragged one of the chairs closer and sat down on it, so that we were closer together, "Clyde, I'm sorry, please understand."

"Answer my question, please," I leant forward, "Who the hell are you?"

She exhaled and rubbed her eyes, "My name is Tania…" She trailed off, "That's all I can say…" She looked away from us. Freddy bit his lip and looked over at me as I leant further forward, my eyes narrowing as her eyes locked with mine.

My eyes slowly lead to her neck, and I paused as I noticed a collar around her neck, "You're wearing one of the collars that the predators wear…" I looked back up at her eyes, "You're a rabbit like me. Why are you wearing it?" She rubbed her shoulder and glanced over at the door. I had a feeling that she was going to try to make a break for it, so I leant further forward, so I was ready to jump up and run after her if she tried to run off.

"Canis is gone, isn't he?" She asked, "Where did he go?"

"How did you know that?" Freddy's eyes narrowed.

"I got a message on my phone," She fumbled through her pockets, "It was from an anonymous source. It just said that; 'Your friend Canis's flight has been delayed.'"

"You and Canis knew each-other?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Yeah. We were friends in high school…" She trailed off, "I'll be quick. Cause they're listening. There's security cameras all through the house. I'll tell you _anything_ you need to know."

My eyes widened. We didn't have much time. Freddy fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a notepad. He grabbed a pen and was prepared to write down anything, "I came here to find my sister," I bit my lip, "Where is she, now?"

"Your sister?" She tilted her head, "You mean, Martha, right?" I shook my head.

"Well, yeah. But her real name is Emily Donovan," I explained, "In the first few days that I arrived here, she was running some sort of…stand, or store on the side of the street. She held me up alongside a wolf, and eventually I continued seeing her everywhere. Is she working with whoever you are working for?"

"Yeah," Tania's ears flattened, "She used to be such a nice girl…" She trailed off, "I remember when she used to take care of you in elementary school…" A smile appeared on her face, "I can't believe we ended up coming to the same city." I sighed and nodded.

"Where is she now?" I asked.

"Well. She works on the streets, pretty much. Making a few dollars or so every day for the boss. The boss usually just sweeps her under the rug and ignore what she has to do. But lately, she's been saying a lot of radical things. That wolf that robbed you with her? That was Wolfcastle. From what I know, he's dead now." Tania explained.

"I was there when that otter shot him…" My eyes narrowed.

"Otter?" She tilted her head, "I know her name," Freddy's face lit up, and he was ready to write it down, "Her name is Grace Frost. She's married to a penguin called Travis. I don't know his last name." I sighed softly and unfolded my arms.

"…you didn't answer my question," I bit my lip, "Where's my sister?"

"I-I can't say…they won't let me…" She growled lowly, "This fucking collar keeps me silent! Just…fuck!" She exclaimed. Freddy glanced at me.

"Canis couldn't tell me sensitive information either…" I shook my head, "I assume you can't tell me who you work for, either?" She shook her head, and I rubbed my eyes. This was frustrating. I hardly learnt anything, and my sister could be anywhere.

"Why is it so important that her location is hidden?" I asked, "If she just works on the street…I mean, you could identify the penguin and otter, and they seem like higher-uppers..."

"I don't know. I'm sorry…" Her ears flattened.

"Tania. Is there anything else you can tell us? Please. We're trying to free you, and anyone else who wears those damn collars…" She stared at me wide-eyed.

"How the hell do you think you're gonna do that?" Her eyes narrowed, "I'm a slave to them. All of the predators are slaves to them. Ever since that _damn_ law came in that forced predators to wear these things, more and more of them were going missing!" She exclaimed.

"I tried to take action…to try to find them myself," I sighed, "Your sister and I tried to find out what was going on, but…it didn't go well…" She trailed off.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Anyone that would try to figure out anything, would be never seen again," She began. Freddy and I realised that we were going to learn a lot more than we knew already, so we were prepared. We made ourselves comfortable as she continued, "Prey aren't frightened of predators anymore, but they were, a long time ago. The world is made of 90% percent predators, and 10% prey. So of course, the prey wanted to own the predators so that they would have nothing to fear."

"Eventually, some people banded together to start working on something that could pacify them," She continued, "The collars were made to keep the predators in line, but as the years went by, and the technology of the world started to get more advanced, they started adding more. Some collars have the ability to shock people, and some have the ability to completely decapitate predators. It's scary, really…" She adjusted her collar, "This collar has neither of those. It just gives off my GPS location so that they can keep tabs on me at all times."

"It's built into every collar. Even yours," She glanced at Freddy. Freddy frowned and adjusted his collar as she continued her exposition, "You've probably heard this a lot. But we're slaves. The predators, and myself. Your sister included," She folded her arms, "I can't say anymore, they're-…" We froze as we heard a car stop in the drive-way.

"They know you're here," She looked up at the cameras, "You guys need to get out of here. No matter what happens, you need to set them all free. None of us deserve this," I frowned and stood up. Freddy pushed himself off the chair as we heard somebody banging on the front door, "Go!" She exclaimed.

"OPEN UP!" A gruff male voice exclaimed, as the banging on the door got heavier. Freddy and I wandered into the kitchen and searched for another way out. I noticed a back-door and slowly approached it, gasping as I saw a shadow outside of it. We backed away from the door and back into the kitchen.

"There!" Freddy exclaimed, pointing to a window. I crawled onto the kitchen counter, knocking off a few glasses as I rested atop of it. I unlocked the window and pushed it open, resting my paws on the outside of it and pulling myself through. I held out my paw and grabbed Freddy's as the front door smashed open and a small group of men with guns came through the door. I pulled Freddy through the window and groaned as we landed on the grass.

Freddy grabbed my paw and pushed himself to his feet. We started running towards the car as we heard gunshots inside of the house. They ceased pretty quickly, which lead us to believe that Tania was murdered. Freddy and I got into our car. I locked the doors and slipped on my belt as Freddy inserted the key into the ignition and slammed his foot on the accelerator. He turned the car around and pulled onto the highway leading out of the town.

We were panting heavily and had grass all over our sides. Freddy glanced at me and smiled slightly as we drove away in silence. The trip back to the freeway was filled with silence. Freddy tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he pulled onto the freeway and we started heading back to the house.

"What time is it?" I asked, glancing at the bear.

"Left your watch at home?" He asked, with a frown. I shrugged and glanced at the window.

He sighed and glanced at his phone, "Just a few minutes after three," He trailed off, "Are you alright?"

"She's dead, y'know…" I glanced at him, "That woman, she…we just left her to die."

"I know…but…she sacrificed herself for us…now we have a better understanding," He trailed off, "I mean, so what if we don't have exact answers? We have a minor lead, and now we know a little more about the reason why this is happening…" I nodded in agreement. Freddy tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as we passed a sign that read; 'Lookout Point.'

He looked over at me, as if he was trying to approve something, "What is it, Fred?" I tilted my head.

"There's a lookout nearby. We could go there and talk for a bit before we head back home. Once we get back…we're going straight to that club, you know?" Freddy frowned, "I was just thinking…maybe we could deal with a few minutes where we can just talk." I nodded.

"Thanks." He smiled at me as he turned off the freeway. The asphalt slowly morphed into a dirt-road the further we drove across it. A little time had passed before we were driving through a small forest, and up a small hill leading towards the lookout.

After a few more minutes, we finally made it up to the lookout. Freddy slowed the car down to a stop just before the railing that protected the edge of the lookout from cars. He switched off the car and exhaled shakily. I took off my seat-belt and looked through the windscreen, watching the sun every few seconds as it got closer and closer to the horizon. Night was coming, and it was coming faster than usual.

Freddy glanced at me, and I returned the favour. Our eyes locked, and smiles appeared on both of our faces. Mine faded before his though, which put a frown on his own, "I'm sorry we didn't find your sister," Freddy took off his seat-belt and bit his lip, "But we'll find her. Then we'll find Foxy, we have to." I nodded and felt the smile return as I relaxed into my seat.

"Bonnie and I used to come up here when we went to high-school," Freddy smirked, "He was such an idiot back then, but…we connected," Freddy's smile faded, "I remember trying to make a fort out of the dirt up here with him…"

"Heh, how the hell does someone do that?" I asked, my eyes widening slightly.

"They don't," Freddy chuckled, "It seemed like a good idea at first. The execution however…that's a different story," His smile widened, "Instead…we ended up making dirt-castles before the wind blew the dirt away." He looked back over at me.

I looked away from him. I had a lot of thoughts running through my mind as usual, and it started to tire me out. I felt my eyes slowly start to close, but I forced myself to stay awake. I heard Freddy sigh beside me, before I felt a paw on my shoulder.

"Did you wanna go to sleep, bunny?" He asked, a frown gracing his face. I nodded and sighed as I grabbed my seat-belt. He stopped me, "We can have a quick nap here. We won't get any TLC at home, so we might as well rest for a few hours. Bonnie can wait until night falls, right?" I nodded and let go of the belt.

"I-I guess…" I shrugged and looked down at the ground again. I paused as I heard fabric and turned to see Freddy taking off his shirt. He sighed and threw his shirt in the back of the car, "You don't think we're gonna…?"

"No, we're not gonna have sex," Freddy chuckled, "I mean. We _could_ , but I remember you saying that you like to cuddle." I blushed heavily and took my own shirt off. I pushed myself off my seat and rested in the bear's lap. My head rested against his fluffy chest and I sighed as I found a comfortable spot.

"This is so gay, man…" I chuckled lightly.

"I don't hear you complaining…" He grumbled. I blushed heavier and curled up in his lap as he started humming the tune to a song that I didn't recognised.

"What's that?" I asked with a smile, "The song, I mean."

"O-Oh…it's just a stupid song my mother used to sing to me before she left…" His smile faded, "Wanna hear how it goes?" I nodded and rested my head on his chest once more.

" _Mama bear always keeps the cubs safe…in the back of the cave beside the honey and spades…cubbies huddled up in a group of three, with mama bear keeping them safe like me…"_ Freddy hummed, a small smile gracing his face.

" _Papa bear comes home late at night, with fish in the barrel and his paws curled up tight. The sun rises the next day, with Papa and Mama bear huddled with them. Four little bears huddled up in a cave. And as the next day came, they all would feed…"_ He sighed.

"What does that song mean?" I asked, looking up at him.

"I'm not sure, honestly…" Freddy shrugged, "But I think it's got something to do with a perfect family…" His smile faded into a frown, "I miss my mom…"

"I miss mine, too…" I sighed. Freddy's frown faded into a smile as he stroked my cheek and held me close, "I wasn't wrong…you're so warm…" My eyes slowly started to close. Freddy stroked my back and kissed my forehead as my eyes finally closed. I exhaled softly and fell asleep.

I yawned as my eyes opened. I looked around and noticed that it was pitch black outside. I sighed as I could feel the bear's chest fur rubbing against my own. I glanced down at the bear's phone and looked at the time.

It was just a few minutes before six at night. I looked up at the bear and noticed that he was just waking up aswell. He looked down at me and kissed me gently. I smiled and rubbed his cheek, kissing him back and tilting my head to the side.

He bit my bottom lip gently and pulled me against him as he started to kiss me deeper, pulling me against him slightly rougher than before and running his paws down my shoulders. I paused and pulled away from him with a frown, "W-We can't now…we need to get back to the house…" He nodded, his ears flattening.

"I know…" He whispered, "I just wanted to prolong this moment…where just you and I could sit here together and forget about all of this…" I ground against him slightly and pecked him on the cheek as I crawled off of him lap and sat back in the passenger seat.

We slipped on our shirts quickly and adjusted ourselves before he inserted the key into the ignition and turning the car on, "Hey…" He glanced at me.

"Yeah, Fred?" I smiled, putting on my seat-belt.

"I love you, Clyde," His smile widened, "You have no idea how much I do…" I blushed slightly and rubbed my shoulder.

"I know, Freddy…I love you too…" I relaxed in the chair as he put the car into gear and drove away from the lookout. It took longer than before to leave the lookout and get back to the freeway. The traffic had increased during the time that we had left the freeway. I didn't really care, but I noticed Freddy shaking slightly as he drove.

"Did you want me to drive, hon?" I frowned. He shook his head with a sigh.

"It's alright, I got this…" He exhaled shakily. His phone vibrated, which interrupted our short conversation, "Could you answer that?" I nodded.

"Yeah, sure…" I grabbed the phone, "It's your father…" I rested the phone against my ear, "Hello? Senior?"

" _Hey Clyde! Is Freddy there?"_ Senior asked on the other end of the call, _"I needed to talk to him."_

"He's driving," I replied, "Can I carry a message?"

" _Well, it's more for the both of you. It's concerning your friend, Bonnie."_ Senior responded.

"What's going on? Is he alright?" I asked. Freddy glanced at me with a frown and tilted his head.

"Everything alright?" Freddy asked. I waved him off and continued to listen.

" _Bonnie's gone. He just left without warning. He called a taxi and we've got no idea where he was going. He mentioned that he was getting impatient and something must have happened after that. He left in a hurry. Is he alright?"_ He asked.

"Shit…um. Thanks for telling me, Senior. I'll pass this onto Freddy. Is there anything else?" I bit my lip.

" _One more thing…"_ Senior said, _"Your father mentioned that he got a message from an anonymous person? Something about someone named Canis's flight being delayed?"_ I paused and looked over at Freddy.

"I need to go…but thanks, Senior." I replied.

" _No problem. See you soon."_ He hung up.

"What's going on?" Freddy looked back at me.

"Okay…you want the bad news, or the bad news…?" The joke didn't better my mood at all.

"Just tell me everything…" Freddy's eyes narrowed.

"First; my father got the same message that Tania got…" I frowned.

"About Canis's flight being delayed?" Freddy's eyes widened, "Shit. What if he never got onto the plane?" I bit my lip, "You think he's okay?"

"I'm not sure…but there's more…" I trailed off.

"Tell me." Freddy looked at me with a pleading expression.

"Bonnie left without us," I replied, "Senior said that Bonnie got impatient, and that his mood changed drastically. He took a taxi and left without word. I'm gonna assume this only happened a few minutes ago, so we should start heading to the club." Freddy nodded and pulled off of the freeway.

"Where is the Club District?" I asked, glancing back at the bear.

"It's not far," Freddy's eyes locked with mine once more, "I don't know exactly where the club is. But we should be able to find it. What colour is the logo of the club?"

"The words are in bright yellow, with a blue border surrounding it," I responded, "I hope Bonnie doesn't start without us…let me try to call him…" I dialled Bonnie's number on Freddy's phone.

It rung for a few times before going straight to the message bank. I sighed and hung up, shaking my head at the bear, "Might wanna speed up, then," Freddy said to himself, "He's gonna get himself killed…" I sighed as we arrived at the Club District. There was one large street which had dozens of clubs. Dozens of types of music were playing and clashing with one another, and I felt my ears slowly start to crumble at the massive amount of music playing around us.

"And this is with the windows up," Freddy frowned, "How can people listen to music this loud?"

"Hmph. My dad went to this place apparently," I chuckled, "A strip club on this block…" I shuddered at the thought.

"Ha, gross…" He trailed off. I paused as I noticed a club at the end of the street with a blue ring surrounding two words coloured in a bright yellow neon sign, "There it is…" Freddy said with a sigh.

He stopped the car on the edge of the curb and looked at me, "You ready?" I sighed and shook my head.

"Honestly…no. I'm really scared…" Freddy reached over to me and stroked my shoulder.

"You'll be fine. We'll stay together…" I glanced at the rear-view mirror and noticed a taxi park behind us, "There he is…" Freddy said with a smirk.

"Let's go meet him, huh?" I nodded at him and opened the door, as Freddy opened his door and approached the taxi alongside me. Bonnie stepped out of the taxi and noticed us.

He sighed and paid the taxi driver before he approached us, "I-I'm sorry I…I just got so impatient!" He exclaimed, "Where were you guys?"

"Well, a lot of stuff happened, so we took a small break…" I frowned.

"But we're here now. So don't worry. We ready to go?" I turned to look at the club that we were gonna head inside, while Bonnie and Freddy talked amongst themselves. I growled lowly as I noticed the otter from before, and now I knew her name.

"Grace Frost…" I muttered. She had walked inside the club, alongside a couple of bodyguards. I looked over at the bear and Bonnie and folded my arms. I was ready for this.

I had a bad feeling, but I was ready. Never had I felt so nervous, but I knew deep down that I was prepared for this. I exhaled shakily and locked eyes with Bonnie;

"What's the plan?"

 **Exposition…! Exposition…!**

 **EXXXXPOOOOSIIISHUUUUUNNNN**

 **-RSM**


	17. Chapter Seventeen - Club Rango

Bonnie frowned and looked over at the club as Freddy and I eyed him cautiously, "Well…I'm not completely sure. I suppose we have to get in somehow. And we should try to find that otter who walked in there. We're not sure who owns the club, but we might as well ask a few questions to some of the people in there…" Bonnie trailed off.

Freddy sighed, "People who work at a club owned by somebody as shifty as a member of this…crew or whatever we're investigating, will notice if people are questioning others in there."

"I guess we should all try to blend in with everyone else," Bonnie replied, glancing at the club once again, "But how the hell are we gonna get in? I'm sure that they know who you are, Clyde. And we can't go in without you." I bit my lip.

I glanced at the club as I slowly started to approach it. Freddy rested a paw on my shoulder as I stopped in my tracks. I noticed a dark alleyway beside the club and looked back over at my friends with a frown, "Maybe there's a side door or something…" Freddy looked over at Bonnie and shook his head.

"There's a small alley beside the club," I pointed to it, "You guys stay here for a sec, I'm gonna see if there's a side-door or something. I'll be fine, just keep watch, and text me if something happens." I folded my arms and walked away from my friends. I rubbed my shoulder as a gust of wind blew past me, and the closer I got to the club, the louder the music became.

I rested my paw against the wall of the club and peered around the corner into the alleyway. It was pitch black, and I couldn't see anything at all. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone, unlocking it and pressing my finger against the screen. A bright light came out from the camera of my phone, and I flashed it down the alleyway.

I bit my lip and started walking down, looking behind me every few seconds to make sure I wasn't being followed. I looked ahead of me once more and grinned as I noticed a door on the side of the building.

I noticed a fence in the middle of the alleyway, just after the door. I raised the light at the fence and bit my lip as I noticed barbed wire across the top of it. I flinched as I heard a knock on the other side of the door. I slipped behind a nearby dumpster and exhaled shakily as I heard a click, and a door opening shortly after.

I peered around the side of the dumpster and lowered my ears so that they were out of sight. I narrowed my eyes as I noticed a rather large bull pushing two black wolves out of the door. I watched them walk out of the alleyway, as the large bull was speaking to the smaller wolves. I noticed that the large bull was wearing a black shirt that had 'security' written on the back.

I turned off the flashlight on my phone and send a short text to Freddy that simply read; 'Door in alleyway. Going in.' I turned off the ringtone on my phone and rested it in my pocket as I slowly walked through the door. I sighed as I shut the door behind me, locking it.

"Okay…" I muttered. I was standing in a small room which had dozens of crates stacked around the room. I noticed a door at the end of the room that simply read; 'Club'. I approached the door and cracked it open slightly, and my eyes were bombarded with multi-coloured lights, and my ears were being bombarded by the heavy sounds of the loud music.

I panted softly and shut the door. I pulled out my phone and rested it against my ear, just after I dialled Bonnie's number, "Hey!" I exclaimed, as I started pacing back and forth. I had to shout, otherwise they wouldn't be able to hear my voice through the phone.

"You got in?" Bonnie asked, "I can hear the music, so I assume so."

"Yeah," I answered, "How are you guys gonna get in?" Bonnie chuckled.

"Freddy told that bull who was guarding the door that his car was getting stolen," Bonnie said, "We're just outside door, but it's locked. I know you came through the door; so can you unlock it for us?"

"Yeah, give me a second." I hung up on him and turned to look at the door. I approached it slowly and opened it, breathing a sigh of relief as I saw Bonnie and Freddy standing there. Bonnie pet me on the shoulder as he walked in, with Freddy coming in right after him. I closed the door and looked at them with folded arms.

Bonnie glanced at the crates stacked up nearby, "Hey, look at this," Freddy and I looked over at him. Bonnie had picked up one of the crates, and he approached it slowly, "See what I see?" On the top of the crate, there was a flower that resembled the same one as the one on the side of the van I was taken in.

"Why would they have crates of flowers in the back of a club?" Freddy asked, taking the crate from Bonnie's paws. He rested the crate atop of a few more crates and tried to pry it open, "Help me out, huh?" I peered over the bear's shoulder and tried to help him pry the crate open.

Bonnie rolled his eyes and snatched the crate from us, raising it above his head and smashing it on the ground. Freddy and I jumped back, startled by the sudden action. As predicted, the crate smashed on the floor into a thousand pieces. I approached the remains of the crate and knelt in front of it, pushing the pieces of wood aside.

"Collars…" I picked up a half-broken collar, "Well, they used to be collars. Now they're just smashed messes…" I trailed off. I glanced at the rabbit and bear with a frown, "What…what if…" I put the collar down and rubbed my head.

"I think I have a theory," I looked down at the floor, "I keep hearing this whole…slavery thing, from people. Wolfcastle…Canis, that other woman…what was her name…" I trailed off. I shook my head and continued, "Nevermind. But…every predator in this city has a collar. What if all of the predators are being manipulated? Controlled, in a way." Bonnie glanced at Freddy.

"I don't…feel controlled…" Freddy's ears lowered, "What are you trying to say?"

"I think that whoever is doing all this…is trying to tell everyone, without actually saying anything, that they can control all predators. The collars are just a way of keeping everyone in check…" I shook my head, "What are we doing here, guys?"

"We're searching for something, anything. That can tell us what happened to Foxy," Bonnie said, "And according to whatever message that you said Tania and your father had gotten, Canis might be in danger aswell."

"You think he actually got on the flight?" Freddy asked.

"I'm not sure…" I shook my head, "I just really hope he did…" Bonnie approached the door leading into the club, and peeked through. Freddy leant against the wall beside me and glanced at me.

"You alright?" He asked, in a calm tone. I frowned and shrugged.

"Well…I'm worried," I shook my head, "Been shot at too many times. And I've never been to a club before. We pretty much snuck in, so I have no idea how this is gonna turn out. If they find us in here…I have no idea what's gonna happen." Freddy was going to say something, but I quickly interrupted him.

"They definitely know my face," I said, "And I'm sure they know your face now, from the security camera at Tania's place," Freddy's ears flattened, "I-I'm sorry…let's just get out there and get moving, huh?" Freddy kissed my cheek and held my paw tightly. Bonnie shut the door gently and walked back over to us.

"Alright. We need to blend in once we get inside. Fade into the crowd, but try to stay close to one-another. After about…ten or so minutes, we can go around searching for information. Ask questions, but don't call attention to yourself," Bonnie explained, "None of us have any idea what we're gonna find. But if any one of us finds something, tell the rest of us as soon as possible."

"We're not far from finding Foxy," Freddy said, "I have a good feeling. We'll find him. And we'll find him tonight." Bonnie nodded and pushed the door open. He exhaled softly and held the door open for us as we walked in. Bonnie closed the door behind us and stood beside Freddy.

"Holy…" Freddy's pupils dilated and his eyes widened. There had to be hundreds of anthros in that place. Dozens of different species, genders and sexuality, all jumping and screaming, enjoying the party. I bit my lip as I looked over at the front doors.

There were to massive bears standing in front of them. A big gold one, and an even larger black one, who had extremely sharp teeth. I swallowed my courage and slowly approached the crowd. Bonnie tapped me on the shoulder and caught our attention, "I'm gonna be near the front doors. Where are you guys gonna be?"

"I'm gonna head to the centre of the crowd," I said, "We'll dance for a bit, I-I guess…and try to blend in. After some time passes, we'll start looking for information. Sound good?" Freddy nodded in silence, and Bonnie cleared his throat and tilted his head in my direction.

I raised an eyebrow and turned around, growling lowly as I noticed a small green rabbit with tattered ears, and a scarred neck, carrying two large crates up a small flight of stairs, "There's where the crates are going…" Freddy trailed off. I nodded and turned to look at Bonnie, but he had already gone.

I noticed him standing near the front door, looking around with a nervous expression, "Alright…you know how to dance, right?" I cracked my knuckles and slowly started to push my way through the crowd, with Freddy holding my paw tightly the whole way there.

"Well…yeah. I haven't been to a club either, though…" He looked away from me. I smiled and pecked him on the cheek as the song that was currently playing stopped. I noticed a large turntable atop of a stage at the back of the club, "Look, there." Freddy followed my gaze and glanced at me with a confused expression.

"What are you looking at?" Freddy asked. I pointed to a figure standing behind the turntable. The figure was a slim chicken, with wide hips, and a massive grin on her face. She flipped her hair out of her eyes and scratched the turntable with a grin. She screamed and let out a cheer as she put on a new song, "Oh, her?"

"Yeah. Just wanna keep an eye on some of these people. So we can remember them later…" I glanced back at Freddy, "Golden bear, black bear, small green rabbit, and a yellow chicken with a blue stripe in her hair."

"Sounds good," Freddy bit his lip and looked around with a nervous expression, "Shit, I feel like everyone's looking at me…I'm still wearing a top-hat…oh gosh I'm so nervous…" I'm not sure what gave me such confidence to do what I did, but Freddy was in a bad position, and there were hundreds of anthros around us having fun, so I knew we should join in.

We needed to blend in anyway, and two people standing in the middle of a massive dancing crowd, unmoving, is not the best way to blend in. I leant forward, brushing my chest against his and adjusted his bow-tie, I put more momentum on my feet and proceeded to do an average back and forth dance, that was pretty much filler until I could get an idea of what dance I was going to move on to.

I glanced at Freddy one more time and felt my heart sink. He was shakily heavily, and he had a look of terror on his face, "There is way too many people here…" I heard him mutter. I stroked his cheek and rubbed his back supportively with a frown on my face.

"Hey…I'm here…let's try to have fun, huh?" I smiled at him. My heart returned back to normal as Freddy gave me a smile of his own and started doing a similar filler dance to what I was doing.

Freddy looked around nervously, while I dragged my paw up his right arm. He grabbed my paw and pulled me against him with a smirk, "There you are." I chuckled as I pushed myself off him gently and proceeded to glance over at the chicken at the turntable once more. Another song came on, and I knew this one quite well. So it put more confidence in me to actually dance, and have fun.

Everyone knew of the song. There wasn't a single person in this entire city that didn't know this song. The opening to 'Try Everything' by Gazelle was playing, and the people surrounding us were screaming and cheering, "Hey. This is a pretty good song…" I cooed.

I tried to avoid inhaling the air around me. I could smell young-adult hormones and testosterone all around me, accompanied by the heavy presence of alcohol and cologne. I cleared my throat and grabbed Freddy's paw, pecking his cheek and pushing him away gently.

I followed what the crowd was doing. Jumping up and down with my paws in the air, screaming and cheering for some reason. I never understood why anyone did this, maybe it's them expressing how much fun their having? I wasn't sure.

But what I was sure of, was that I was doing an amazing job of blending in. Sure enough, Freddy started doing the same, only, he was standing behind me, and he'd stop jumping every few seconds to plant another kiss on the back of my neck.

I stopped the cheering and turned to look at the bear. He had a big smile on his face, and his cheeks were coloured in a crimson tint. I rested my head on his shoulder as he ran a paw through my hair. He smirked and grabbed me without warning, resting me on his shoulders. My legs dangled over his shoulders as he threw his fist up in the air.

I chuckled and proceeded to start singing lightly along to the song while Freddy enjoyed himself below me. After a few minutes, my eyes started to wander along the walls of the club. I bit my lip and paused as I noticed a familiar face sitting atop of a large stall at the bar resting in the side of the club.

"Grace Frost," I glanced down at Freddy. He looked back up at me and growled lowly at the mention of her name, "Come on." Freddy put me down. When my foot-paws touched the ground I started to push myself through the crowd, with Freddy following closely after.

I approached the bar and rested my paw on the stool beside the otter. She noticed me and stared at me wide-eyed, her fur bristling and standing on end. I pushed myself onto the stool and rested my arm against the counter, growling lowly at her.

"Hmph," She looked back at the counter, grasping a glass in her paw, "Guess I should've known you were still alive," She shook her head with a sigh, "If you survived that whole ordeal at the cemetery, why the hell didn't you leave town? They're probably hunting you now."

Freddy rested against a nearby wall and watched us intently. He was prepared in case the otter would try to attack me, or try to escape, "Because I'm looking for a missing friend," I muttered, "And I'm trying to figure out who's doing all of this with the collars…and the kidnappings, and I'm going to stop them." The otter chuckled lightly and took a swig from her glass.

"You're joking, right?" She broke into full laughter, "You're hilarious, kid. Really."

"What's so damn funny?" I grumbled. The otter rolled her eyes and pressed the glass upon the counter once more, smirking at me with a slightly tilted head.

"You think _you_ can stop all this?" She asked, "I mean. People have tried. And they've all failed, y'know?" She glanced back at her glass, taking it into her paw once more and taking another drink, "By the way, I don't really care for you that much, but thanks."

"What for?" I asked, with a frown.

"For killing that god-damn penguin," She grumbled, "He was a thorn in my side for ages. Always for the gung-ho approaches…such a damn idiot," Grace bit her lip, "What are you here for, anyway?"

"I just want to know where Officer Foxy is," I glanced at Freddy, then back to her, "Do you know where he is?" Grace sighed and shook her head.

"In all honesty, no. No I don't," She exhaled, "I have no idea where any of the predators go after we take them." I shook my head.

"Bullshit. You take them, and you take them somewhere!" I exclaimed.

"Hey. Not completely true," Grace shook her friend, "Canis and yourself are unique cases. We don't usually kill the people we kidnap. Tania…was unfortunate. I didn't lead that little attack though, that was the boss's."

"Who's the boss?" I muttered. Grace sighed and pointed to the staircase that the small green rabbit had walked up before with the crates.

"Up there," Grace turned to look at me once more, "As I was saying. We don't really…take them places. And I suppose if you're here, and not dead. Then maybe you can help us. All of us. Not just me, not just Canis, but all predators and the small amount of prey that are being controlled and manipulated into being slaves." I gasped slightly, being unprepared to get any assistance from her.

"What can you tell us?" I asked with a frown.

"Well. You know the collars keep us all quiet," She shrugged, "And don't act stupid, of course I'm wearing a collar." Sure enough, she tapped a camouflaged collar that was wrapped around her skinny neck.

"There are some things that I can't talk about. And if I do," She dragged her finger across the front of her neck, "This thing will cut my head clean of." Freddy winced and frowned at her.

"We take them, sure," Grace began, "Hey. You got your phone, right? The music is dying down, so record my voice. Distort it so nobody can tell it's me, though." I nodded and pulled out my phone. I switched to a voice recording app and pressed record.

"Okay. We get a call every few weeks or so from someone close to the boss telling us who to grab. We take them, and bring them out of town…far out of town," She continued. She winced and held the back of her neck, I could see a little bit of blood trickling down the back of her neck, and trickling down the side, "Argh, damn it…" She growled lowly, "W-We drop them off on the side of the road in Zora's Field." She panted.

"It's a massive tundra-field. We don't know where they take the predators after that…we usually leave them there, with one of the agents. And we don't ever find out what happened to them." She sighed softly, shaking her head as she wiped the blood off her.

"You alright?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, turning away from us in silence. I grunted as I was gently pushed aside by wing. I glanced at the figure and noticed that it was the chicken from earlier, who was using the turntable.

I looked over at the turntable and noticed a different DJ up there. I backed away slowly from them as the chicken stroked the otter's shoulder, "You alright, hon?" The chicken asked, in a low tone. Freddy walked over to me and followed my gaze as I walked away from them.

"I'm fine, Chi…just a little hurt…" I could hear Grace mumble before the music came back on full swing.

"Okay…" Freddy sighed, "We need to get up those stairs." He and I glanced at the large staircase, that was being guarded by two large bears, similar to the ones at the front door.

"Let's look for Bonnie first," Freddy nodded as we pushed through the crowd and walked through the door leading to the room filled to the brim with crates. Freddy closed the door gently as I dialled Bonnie's number, "C'mon…answer…" I started pacing back and forth while Freddy rested against the wall and watched me with a frown.

"Yeah, find anything?" Bonnie answered abruptly.

I sighed, "Yeah. Found that otter from earlier. She told us some stuff that I'll fill you in later. Right now, one of us needs to get up the staircase near the turntable," I said, "I think there's like…an office up there or something."

"There's some bears guarding the staircase," Bonnie sighed softly, "I can distract them while you and Freddy head up there." Freddy shook his head and glanced at me.

"Bonnie. I can distract the bears. We're the same species, that has to count for something," I frowned at the bear as he continued, "Clyde and yourself can check upstairs." Bonnie sighed in response to this.

"Got it," Bonnie replied, "How are you gonna distract the bears?"

"Leave it to me," I hung up the phone, "Well…there we go. Hero Freddy, huh?"

"I guess…" I chuckled, my smile soon fading into a frown as I noticed Freddy's smile fade. I stroked the bear's shoulder and glanced at the door, "You're a brave guy. Bonnie and I'll keep each-other safe." Freddy nodded and walked back into the club, with me trailing close behind. Freddy started approaching the bears, while Bonnie stood beside me.

"What's he doing?" He asked, folding his arms. I narrowed my eyes as I noticed Freddy speaking with eh other bears. Freddy had a look of shock on his face and frantically pointed to the front door and proceeded to jog towards it, with the guards following closely after, "Come on!" Bonnie and I pushed the crowd and proceeded to run up the stairs.

Bonnie and I slowed down as we approached the top of the staircase. There was a door at the end of the staircase. I bit my lip and rested my paw on the door, turning it with a sigh. The door opened, and I walked inside in silence. I felt really unsettled as I started walking further down the hallway, there were large statues of anthros looking ahead of themselves in terrifying positions.

"I hope that they aren't real…" Bonnie muttered, walking alongside me with a frown. I sighed softly and rubbed my eyes as we reached the end of the hallway. There was a door on the left, and a door on the right.

"Left door…" Bonnie glanced at it. I nodded and folded my arms as the bunny rested his paw on the knob. He frowned and I took notice that he was hesitating. After a minute or so, Bonnie turned the knob and pulled the door open slowly. It was a pitch-black room.

Bonnie glanced at me, and I knew what he wanted. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, switching on the flashlight app. We walked inside of the room, almost closing the door behind us. I bit my lip as I noticed that the door wasn't going to keep itself open, so I held my flashlight up, noticing a wrench atop of a nearby table.

I grabbed the wrench and rested it against the door, holding it open so we didn't have to hold it open. I sighed and glanced at Bonnie as I raised the flashlight at him, "See anything?" He shook his head and proceeded to look around while I lit the way for him, "Gosh, this whole place is creepy…stuff predators everywhere…"

I looked away from the rabbit and noticed a clipboard resting atop a nearby table. My eyes widened as I recognised multiple names on the list, "Bonnie. I found something!" I exclaimed, dragging my finger down the clipboard. Bonnie approached the peered over my shoulder.

"There's Canis, Tania…shit, Grace is on this list too…" I muttered, "Hey, look! There's our names!"

Bonnie's eyes narrowed, "Bonnie, Freddy, Clyde…and Foxy!" My eyes widened. Foxy's name had a big red tick beside it. I flipped the clipboard over and noticed some writing on the back of it.

It was an address, beside a picture of a flower that resembled the same one as the one that was on the crates in the club's side room, "Shit, an address!" I exclaimed as I snapped a picture of it. Bonnie and I flinched as we heard the door open. Bonnie dove behind a nearby desk, while I had against a nearby wall.

I panted softly and noticed a figure walk into the room. I crouched down as the figure picked up the clipboard and walked out, leaving the door open. Bonnie and I exchanged looks of confusion, followed by sighs of relief.

We knew where to go now. But we weren't done yet.

We had one more room to check.

 **More exposition!**

 **Don't forget to review, it always helps. ?**

 **RSM**


	18. Chapter Eighteen - The HomeFront

Bonnie pushed himself out of where he was hiding and peeked out the door. I followed him and followed his gaze with a frown. I reached into my pocket as I noticed a the small green rabbit from before trotting down the stairs with the clipboard in his paw.

My phone vibrated in my paw. I answered it quickly and bit my lip, "Clyde. Good. The guard's are all outside. I can see a small rabbit walking down the stairs from where you guys are," Freddy said, "I'm gonna go see if I talk to him. Did you and Bonnie find anything?"

"We found a clipboard, and a flower logo on the back of it," I sighed, "There's another room here, we're about to check it out." I nodded.

Freddy sighed, "Fine. Stay safe, sweetie." My ears lowered. Bonnie tapped me on the shoulder and tilted his head in the direction of the other door.

"I will. Bye!" I exclaimed, hanging up the phone. I watched Bonnie approach the other door. He cursed to himself as he turned the knob.

"Locked," He muttered to himself, "Give me just a second…!" Bonnie backed away from the door. I moved out of his way as he backed up further, so that he was in the opposite room. He tapped his shoulder and growled as he ran out of the room, and smashed his shoulder against the door. I gasped as I watched him go right through the door.

I peeked around the door and saw Bonnie lying on the floor, atop of the broken door, "Wow...you'd think there would be more protection in this place from people potentially breaking in." I leant forward and helped Bonnie to his feet.

"One of us'll need to watch the door now," Bonnie shook his head, "I'll volunteer. You seem to have some sort of luck with finding things." I nodded as Bonnie stood in front of the door and folded his arms.

The office didn't seem like any different office. It was modern, but nothing looked out of the ordinary. My eyes met with a computer, and a smirk made itself present on my face. I walked around the side of the desk and sat on the office chair. I sighed and spun the chair around so I was facing the computer and pressed a few buttons on the keyboard.

After a few seconds, the monitor switched on. I knew that the computer would require a password, so it didn't surprise me when the monitor switched on, that there was a bar asking me to put a password in.

I started rummaging through the desk's drawers. Most of them were empty, except for the bottom one. I pulled out a piece of paper, that had random numbers all across it. It was almost completely coloured in with numbers.

"Holy..." I whispered to myself. I narrowed my eyes and spent a few minutes studying the paper, before I noticed that four numbers were coloured in deeper than the others, "1807." I glanced at the monitor and typed up the password.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the computer gave me a confirmation that I was on. The desktop was completely blank, save for the recycle bin and a folder that read; 'Predators'. Before I got a chance to take a look inside, Bonnie had walked over and was peering over my shoulder, "Got the computer open, huh?" He bit his lip, "Think we'll find anything in here?"

"Maybe..." I sighed, "I truly hope we'll find something," I shrugged, "We'll need someone watching the door, you should get over there..." Bonnie shook his head.

"Before we do anything else..." Bonnie folded his arms, "When we find them, the predators I mean...where do we turn to?" He shrugged.

"I mean. The police here seem...corrupt, in a way. Maybe we should talk to the mayor or something about this?" I shrugged, "I haven't heard much of him...or her. Can you tell me about them?"

"I haven't seen much of the mayor," He shrugged, "She was really reserved, and hardly did public events. She's a tiger, I think..." He shook his head, "Keep looking for something, I'm gonna see if I can see anyone outside." Bonnie walked away from the desk and stood back at the door.

I looked back at the monitor and opened the folder. There were dozens of pictures, and one document folder. I opened the pictures through a photo gallery program and pressed them on the right of the screen, while I opened the document and rested it on the right.

I scrolled through the pictures in awe. There were dozens of pictures of tied up predators in cages. Some of them had blood and tears trailing down their faces, while others had injuries ranging from bruises on their faces, to black-eyes and broken arms.

I winced and glanced at the document. There were names on there, alongside numbers and statuses of them. On the top of the document, there was a heading that read; '12 Norman Road'.

"There's the address!" I exclaimed with a grin, "Bonnie! You need to see this!" Bonnie jogged over and rested his paw on my shoulder. He grumbled and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh god...those people..." He frowned, "Hey, those names..." He trailed his finger down the monitor, "Lionheart's there...same with Foxy. These are the people that were taken to...whatever this address is I guess." I nodded in silence.

"Wait," He paused, "Holy shit. Dude, that's the mayor," I glanced at him. He was pointing to a picture that I had opened on the other side of the screen, "It's her!" I followed his finger.

A female tiger was curled up in a ball, had a ball-gag in her mouth and had bruises all over her face. She had a suit on, and had a name-tag on her chest that read; 'Mayor Claw'.

"Dude, if she's still alive..." My eyes widened, "We should get to the mayor's office! We have the proof! We can give it to them!" Before we could do anything else, all of the lights in the room switched off. We froze as we heard gasps coming from outside, followed by boos and curses.

"Remember the address?" Bonnie glanced at me wide-eyed.

"Uh...12 Norman Drive…? Or road...or something?!" I exclaimed. Bonnie shrugged and ran towards the door, with me running behind him. We both peeked out of the office and started walking down the stairs and into the main area of the club.

It was pitch black, and as we reached the bottom, we noticed hundreds of anthros approaching the exit. I groaned as I felt a horn press against my shoulder. I winced and moved to the side, with Bonnie standing beside me, "Where's Freddy?" He asked with a sigh.

"I'm not sure..." I frowned, "Let's get out of here first, then I'll give him a call."

"We need to get through this crowd first..." Bonnie grabbed my paw and started pushing himself through the crowd. I covered my eyes so I didn't get a horn in there or anything. There were a lot bulls in the club, most of them were wearing tight shirts, so I tried to avoid eye-contact with them. It didn't take long before Bonnie led me outside.

I shivered as I felt water on my fur. It was pouring rain out there, and a heavy gust of wind blew over my shoulder. Bonnie pet my shoulder and led me away from the front of the club. I glanced at the car I had arrived and approached it. I grinned as I noticed Freddy sitting in the driver's seat.

"There he is," I pointed to the car. I opened the passenger side door and sat inside the car, slamming the door after me, "I'm so glad to see you." Bonnie got in the back seat and rubbed his ears as he shut the door.

"Yeah, me too," Bonnie said, "Did you see anything?"

"Not really," Freddy replied, "I spoke to the green bunny. He just works at that flower place we were talking about before. I questioned him for a while before all the lights went out," Freddy nodded, "Did you guys find anything while you were up there?"

"Did we?" I chuckled, "We found the address. To wherever these predators are being kept, and also..." I trailed off, "I found that numbers of rooms. I mean, the certain numbers of rooms that people of interest are staying in. Lionheart...Foxy. Even the damn mayor is in there!"

"Mayor Claw?" Freddy's eyes widened, "Maybe if we can...get her out of there. There may be a chance that she can stop whatever is going on here."

"But what can she do?" Bonnie asked, "If she's not in power, nobody here is. I know that for sure."

"How do you?" Freddy glanced at him, resting his arm on the back of the chair, "When a mayor in this city isn't in power anymore, or gets fired or whatever. Nobody is in a rush for a new one. It usually takes six months tops for a new one to be re-instated. If we can get her to...the city hall or wherever. Maybe she could stop all of this! Somehow..." Freddy sighed.

"How do you know all this?" I tilted my head, as I slipped my seat-belt on.

"I did a bit of studying for a while," Freddy chuckled lightly, "I'm not as stupid as you want me to be." I smiled at him as he put on his seat-belt and inserted the key into the ignition. I winced as a crack of lightning sparked across the sky above us, the thunder making me shiver in my fur. I curled up in a ball and looked down, blushing deeply out of embarassment.

"Don't worry, bun," Freddy smiled at me and stroked my headfur, "I'm here. You're safe." I looked at him, a small smile appearing on my face just before another crack of lightning sprung across the sky once more. In an instant, my confidence returned to nothing, and the car was engrossed in silence for a few minutes after that.

"What's the address…?" Freddy glanced at Bonnie.

"12 Norman Road," Bonnie replied, "The sooner we get there, the better." I gasped as I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. An anonymous caller was calling me.

I answered the phone in an instant, "Hello?" I gasped as I could hear a giggle on the other side of the line.

" _How's it goin', Clyde? How's your dad, huh?"_ It was a female voice. I felt like I recognised it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on who it could be, _"And Frederick's father too, hm?" How's he going?"_

"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked, growling slightly into the phone. Freddy glanced at me, turning off the car immediately as he heard this. I pressed my finger against my lips, silently telling himt o keep his mouth shut. Bonnie leant forward as I put the phone on speaker and the woman kept talking.

" _I think you know who I am. I know who you all are,"_ The woman continued, in a calm, yet persuasive tone. It scared me. Something about her voice scared me, and it put me in a worried state, _"Frederick Fazbear...college drop-out, failure. Bonnible Bunny, a washed up cop who spends too much time thinking about others to keep his career moving forward!"_

In response to this, Freddy and Bonnie growled respectively, _"Red Fazbear...or what is his name to you? He called himself Senior for a while. Still use the same name?"_ She chuckled after a full minute without a response, _"How are your father, huh? How's_ Niall _doing~?"_ I froze.

" _Niall Donovan…"_ She giggled, _"He was such a good father, wasn't he?"_

"Quit it with the foreplay and get to the point!" Freddy shouted.

The woman chuckled and sighed, _"Hm...I like this kid, right to the point, then!"_ Her chuckling subsided, and a more serious tone followed, _"You three have no idea what you've just begun. You are trying to ruin everything. Bonnie and Clyde should understand completely!"_

"Understand what, you weirdo!?" Bonnie exclaimed.

" _The world is ninety percent prey...and ten percent predator. Remember the whole...deal with the berries or some shit in Zootopia?"_ She asked, _"Well. This is the real world. We don't stay PG here. We kill people. We torture them. We make sure every predator remembers who they are. And who they answer to."_

"What is the point of this?" I asked, in a calmer tone than before.

" _I think another friend of yours said it best, hm?"_ She muttered, _"Always keep an eye on the homefront."_ She hang up. Freddy and I's eyes locked, and we knew where we were going.

"Change of plan. We're going home, right now!" Freddy exclaimed, turning the car back on.

"Wha- huh!? We've got the address! We need to go there right now!" Bonnie shouted, "We can get the mayor to sort all of this out!"

"Drive!" I shouted. Freddy slammed his foot on the accelerator and before Bonnie knew it, we were driving home faster than ever before. Freddy tightened his grip on the steering wheel as I tapped away on my phone.

I dialled my father's number dozens of times, but I never got a response. I left messages, over and over. And I still didn't get a response.

"Dad...please answer me," I felt like I was going to break down right there, "Daddy? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left...please be okay..." I could feel Bonnie and Freddy's eyes burning into my skull.

I put the phone down after the fifteenth time or so and rested it in my pocket. I could see tears trailing down Freddy's face, and I knew that my face looked similar, to say the least. Bonnie was sitting in the back with his arms folded, his feet tapping against the bottom of the car in an impatient way, "Look...I just really hope we get to that address in time. The lives of all the predators in this place are counting on us. We can't let them all be slaves."

Freddy slammed on the brakes and looked out his window.

We were home.

He got out of the car, leaving it on. I opened the passenger-side door and followed him quickly. I paused and looked behind me, noticing Bonnie wasn't following us, he was still sitting in the car.

I grumbled to myself. I didn't care anymore. I needed to find my father.

Freddy threw open the door and ran inside. I slowed down my pace and walked inside as quietly as I possibly could.

I paused as I heard grunting, "Freddy?" I called for him, "Freddy! Answer me…!" I whimpered. My ears flattened as I heard multiple footsteps coming from all directions. Before I could do anything else, my eyes found it.

 _Him._

His body lying flat on the floor. The blood that surrounded him had dried up, and his corpse was slowly started to decompose. I felt myself break down as I realised who it was.

"Noo..." I coughed and wiped my eyes, before I heard a low voice behind me mutter something.

"Welcome home." Then I felt a sharp pain in my head, and everything went black.

 _He's gone. He's...he's dead._

 _I was pacing back and forth in complete darkness. Thousands of emotions were calling to me at the same time, but I could only feel some of them. I felt...sadness. Hatred and anger slowly crept in, and then I felt sad again…_

 _I rubbed my eyes and looked up, only to see him standing in front of me. I pushed myself to my feet and tried to reach him, but I couldn't. The darkness that surrounded me had faded and I could see the figure quite well._

" _I'm sorry, dad..." I trailed off._

 _I had arrived at the house too late, it seemed. My father's corpse was just lying there...it had been dead for a long time...an hour at least…_

 _And all I was doing was going to a fucking club. I should've listened to Canis._

" _I let you down," I looked away from him, "I'm so sorry..." I choked, "I shouldn't have ever left our town..." I rubbed my eyes, wiping my tears away in silence. He looked at me, then frowned and looked down, his ears lowering beside his cheeks._

" _You've never let me down, Clyde," He smiled and pet me on the shoulder, his paw fazing right through it. I sniffled as he looked back up at me with a big smile, "You're doing so many great things. And all of the predators of this place will be forever in your debt."_

 _My nose twitched as my father's smile faded. I never believed in the afterlife. But after what I had witnessed here, in this dream or something, it had reinforced my belief that there was something out there. More powerful than ourselves._

 _Because I saw my mother there, too. She came out from the darkness and rested her paw on my father's shoulder. They hugged each-other and didn't let go for a good minute or two. I stood there, in awe, as my father and mother exchanged some words before pulling apart._

 _They both looked at me as they stood side-by-side, with smiles on their faces. I could tell they still loved each-other, even after everything that had happened. I felt myself break down once more as I could hear a familiar song echo throughout my head._

" _Sunshine...you are our sunshine..." My mother whispered._

" _You make us happy...when skies are grey..." My mother glanced at my father and stroked his shoulder with a frown. They both looked at me with frowns on their faces, and their paws outstretched._

" _You'll never know dear...how much we love you..." My father sang lightly._

" _...please don't take, our sunshine away..." My father smiled at me, as I could see a tear trail down his face. I reached out to them, but before I could touch them, they vanished._

 _Why did he have to die? I broke down on the ground and curled up in a ball. My tears trailed down my face and landed on the ground. I gasped as I heard a splashing sound beneath me. The ground had melted into some sort of water, and I fell right through. I coughed and tried to breath, but no matter what I did, I couldn't inhale._

My eyes reopened, and they widened soon after. I was underwater, and two strong paws were pushing me under. I coughed and resisted as best I could, but I couldn't get this person off of me. My vision was getting heavy and I felt myself slowly start to pass out. I used my last once of strength and kick my leg, and luckily enough, the person who was pushing me down, had let me go.

I pushed myself back to the surface and exhaled heavily, coughing out water. I glanced to my left and noticed my attacker was sitting there, holding his private parts with his paws. It was a large black panther, and I knew immediately that he was going to kill me. I quickly looked at my new surroundings.

I had never been here before. I could see a small waterfall at the end of the river that I was almost drowned in, and I saw a small well-built bridge just beside me. The only thing separating me from the bridge, was a small hill. I dug my claws into the side of the hill and pushed myself up. I coughed as I eventually made it onto the road. It was pitch black, and hard to see, but I could make out the silver on the panther's neck.

He was wearing a necklace that had a silver tooth on it, and it reflected against the headlights of a car that was parked on the bridge. I glanced at the car and noticed two cinderblocks beside it, "I guess that was his plan...but he messed it up!" I whispered to myself as I made a break for the car.

I tried the knob, but the car was locked. The keys were obviously on the panther, and I needed to get them somehow. I noticed the panther just make it to the top of the hill. I noticed his car-keys on the same chain as the silver tooth on his necklace.

 _I need to get that necklace off of him somehow._ Instead of constructing a massive plan, I just went for the simple route and went straight for the panther. Before he had time to react, I had grabbed his chain, and tore it off his neck.

However, I didn't notice that I had actually pulled the panther up the remaining part of the hill, "Shit!" I made a break for the car, with the panther right on my tail. I pressed a button on the car-keys and the doors unlocked quickly.

I opened the driver's side door and pressed a button on the door after I got in. The door were locked once more. I inserted the key into the ignition. I glanced to my right and screamed as I noticed the panther holding a cindeblock. I turned the key and slammed my foot on the accelerator as the cinderblock went through the back window.

I drove as fast as I could away from the bridge, leaving the panther behind in the process. I panted heavily and rubbed my eyes as I switched on the headlights.

 _Now where the hell am I?_ I looked around the car and noticed a GPS located on the dashboard. I pressed the 'power' button on it, and sure enough, it switched on. The GPS lit up brightly, but there was no signal. It looked like I was in the middle of nowhere.

After a few more minutes of driving, the thousands of trees surrounding me were finally replaced with a more open scenery, and a more open stretch of road. I pressed the GPS and sure enough, the signal was back. My location was loaded into the GPS.

I was on a remote highway far from Zootropolis. Why did they take me that specific location to try to kill me? I set a destination for 12 Norman Road. Surprisingly enough, it was only a little over 20 miles from where I was. I relaxed into my seat, but before I could completely relax, my phone vibrated.

The signal had just returned!

I rested my phone on the dashboard and tapped it, _"You have – 2 – new messages."_ A monotone female voice spoke.

" _Message 1. Left at 1:42AM."_ I felt the grip on the steering wheel loosen. It was my father.

" _Clyde. Are you there? You haven't been picking up...I'm not sure if these are even going through, damn it!"_ He exclaimed, _"There's people at the house. They took Senior...but they're breaking in again! They're coming back for me...uh...just stay away from the house! I think they're after you too-"_ Before he could finish, there were sounds of breaking glass, and shouting.

Followed by one shot. One single gunshot.

I started crying again. I wiped the tears away from my eyes as I pulled onto another road. He was getting killed while we were out looking for clues...how could I have been so stupid?

" _Message 2. Left at 19:01PM."_ I was hold for almost twenty-four hours without being killed? I know I arrived at the house an hour or so after my father's message. Why didn't they just kill me right away?

" _Clyde. It's Freddy. There were people at the house. I don't know where you are, but I managed to hide. They didn't find me!"_ He exclaimed, _"I found...y-your dad's body I...I'm so sorry!"_ I could hear him sob through the phone, _"I can't find my father. He's gone. And Bonnie took off without me. I think he's gone to the address...I think we're gonna find everyone there, Clyde. I think this is it."_

I glanced at the time on my phone. It was just a few minutes after 11PM.

" _I'm going there now. I'm hoping you're okay..."_ The message ended. I grabbed my phone and rested it in my pocket with a sigh. I needed to get the address as soon as possible.

Through all of what had happened, my friends were counting on me. Foxy was counting on me...and my father...he _was_ counting on me. I sighed softly and cleared my throat.

"I'm coming."

 **A tad more action in this chapter, huh?**

 **It's almost the end! Reviews certainly help~!**

 **I hit a massive writer's block with this chapter. I stayed up for nine hours straight writing this one, so I'm sorry if the next one isn't out on time! Love ya'll!**

 **\- RSM**


	19. Chapter Nineteen - The Facility

_I think we're going to find everyone, Clyde. I think this is it._

I played the same sentence through my head over and over as I got closer to the address. I exhaled and bit my lip as I looked at the GPS once more, while tapping my fingers against the steering wheel.

I was only a few miles out from where the address was. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and sighed softly. This was the first time that I was alone since I met Freddy, and it felt foreign. It didn't feel right. At the moment, I was driving on a secluded road in the middle of nowhere. It was pouring rain outside, and it was pitch black. I tapped on the GPS and glanced at what it said.

"Only one mile left..." I muttered. Just after I finished talking, the car shook for a split second, and I heard a bang. I gasped as the steering wheel pulled to the side suddenly, and no matter how hard I pulled it, the wheel wouldn't budge. The car swerved to the right and towards the forest, I undid my seatbelt and opened the driver's side door, jumping out of the car and landing in the soaked grass.

I panted heavily and rubbed my eyes. I wiped some dirt off my arm and groaned as I pushed myself to my feet. I glanced at the car as it came to a stop against a nearby tree. I sighed and looked up at the sky, feeling the rain smash against my face. I rubbed my eyes and quickly looked down, sighing as I glanced in the direction I was heading.

"Shouldn't be far," I folded my arms and started walking on the road towards the address. A few minutes passed before I noticed a car parked ahead of me. I narrowed my eyes and crouched down, slowly approaching the car with a cautious demeanour.

My eyes widened as I recognised the license plate. This was Freddy's car! I jogged towards the car and heard the humming of the engine. I could see the red hue of the back lights, and the driver's side door was wide open. It took me a few seconds to realise that Freddy hadn't taken this car.

He said that Bonnie had left without him. So Bonnie took Freddy's car and got here first. I peeked into the car and took out the key from the ignition. I shut the driver's side door and rested my paw on the hood of the car, "Engine's still warm...guess he only just got here..." I looked at the ground and noticed that the grass leading away from the car had muddy footprints leading into the forest.

I adjusted my shirt and proceeded to follow the footprints before the rain washed them away. I walked into the forest, pushing past a few branches as I continued following the muddy footprints. It was absolutely freezing out there, but I had to find wherever this address was.

I wasn't completely sure if this was it, but why would Bonnie stop the car like that and start walking randomly into the forest? This had to be the address, why else would Bonnie just stop in the middle of nowhere?

The footprints didn't seem to be washing away in a hurry, so I slowed my pace down. Bonnie would be in trouble if I didn't hurry, but I needed to preserve my stamina just in case something happened between where I was at that moment, and the address.

I sighed and let my mind wander as I continued following the footprints. From what I knew, the mayor and Foxy were only two of the predators that we knew that are trapped in this place. There may be many other predators that were imprisoned there, but I wasn't sure at the time.

"This place must be a facility of some sort...maybe a prison..." I trailed off, "Those were professional cages that I saw..." I sighed and unfolded my arms. I looked back up to get my bearings, but before I could go another step, I ran into something. I groaned as my body connected with something furry, and before I knew it, I was lying on top of a bear.

I stared at it wide-eyed and realised it was Freddy. I hugged him tightly and started sobbing into his shoulder, "...Clyde? Oh my god I'm so glad you're alright..." He held me tightly and stood back up, still holding me in his arms.

I kissed him gently and pulled away quickly. He wiped my tears away with his finger and put me on the ground as gently as he possibly could. He and I just looked at each-other for a few seconds, "I thought you were...dead..." He said, as I started to follow the footprints alongside me. He walked alongside me with a frown on his face.

"I thought I was too..." I looked down, "My dad's dead, Freddy..." I clenched my fists, "The people who did this are going to die, you agree?" I looked back at him. I obviously surprised Freddy, because he had a look of terror and confusion on his face.

"W-What about the plan? Getting the mayor and everything?" He asked, a frown gracing his face.

"Let's just see, alright?" I sighed, "Where's Senior?" I folded my arms as I picked up the pace. Freddy shook his head and pushed a branch out of the way for me. I thanked him in silence before he got a chance to answer.

"Well...I'm not sure," Freddy closed his eyes for a second, "I just...watched them take him." I frowned at him and started to slow down as he kept talking.

"Just as I got in there, I saw your father but...I kept walking..." He trailed off.

 _Freddy slammed the door open and jogged into the house. He peered down at my father before he continued walking through the house, trying every room he could possibly find. Before he could go any farther, he heard a mutter come from the living room, followed by a voice speaking. He peered around the corner of his bedroom and watched me get dragged outside._

 _He had to resist running after me as other people came into the house. He sighed and shut the door gently, running across the room right after. He glanced out of a window and noticed a few wolves with collars around their necks pulling away a large bear, "Dad..." Freddy muttered, his eyes widening. He ran out of his bedroom and down the hallway, but by the time he'd gotten outside, they'd all gone._

 _He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, noticing a rabbit park a motorcycle across the street. Freddy muttered to himself and started walking away from the house._

"So...I waited until the rabbit walked away. Took his motorcycle...and drove here." Freddy finished.

"I didn't see a motorcycle out there..." I said with a frown. He shook his head and shrugged.

"It should still be out there..." He peeked over his shoulder, "I parked it right before my car." The rain started to ease up a little, but hadn't stopped completely yet.

Freddy and I stopped and looked at each-other with frowns on our faces, "I'm worried.." I whispered. Freddy's ears lowered as he rested his paw beneath my chin and brought my eyes towards his.

"Yeah, me too..." He stroked my cheek and sighed softly. I pushed him away gently and looked ahead, with my arms draped by my sides. He stood beside me with his arms folded.

"I just...do you think this will work out?" I glanced at him, "From the luck we've been having I...I'm not sure if things will go well in here," I paused and looked down, "What if we fail…? What if we all die?" I sighed softly.

He was silent and let me finish, "If we all die...nobody will ever know what we did. We'll fade into obscurity." He sighed softly and pet my shoulder.

"We will get through this. All of us," Freddy growled lowly, "Don't worry. I'll protect you, and you'll protect me." I nodded and continued walking through the forest with Freddy trailing behind me.

We continued moving forward in silence until I noticed some barb wire strewn across the grass. My eyes followed the wire and I noticed a way through. The barb-wire was completely protected by an extremely high fence, so it was impossible for us to go through. But as I trailed along the barb-wire, the way through became clear.

There was a small space through the fence. I sighed and glanced at Freddy, before I slowly pulled myself through the fence, and to the other side. Pain rushed through my body and I winced as I made it to the other side. I licked my finger and groaned. I'd only pricked my finger on the barb-wire, but it still hurt like hell.

Freddy crawled through the hole and frowned at me, "You alright?" I shook my finger and nodded.

"Yeah, just hurt, that's all." I rubbed my finger and looked around.

"Still looks like a forest to me..." Freddy trailed off, looking around with a sigh, "...why would they block off another part of the forest?" Freddy glanced at me.

"Because this isn't just the forest anymore," My eyes widened as I noticed a light ahead of us. I walked away from the barb-wire fence. Freddy walked beside me. He'd noticed the light aswell, and had increased his pace, "Look..." We stopped in our tracks. The light was moving! And it came closer!

Freddy grabbed me and pushed me to the ground. He crouched down and laid beside me, keeping us hidden behind a large tree. I peeked around the side of the tree and noticed the lights turn to the left, and leave. It was a car!

Freddy and I left the hiding spot and started walking in the direction that the car went. It was pitch black, so it was extremely hard to see where we were going. I paused as I felt gravel underneath my feet. Freddy glanced at me and folded his arms, "A small road," Freddy muttered, "Maybe it'll lead us to the facility?" I nodded in response to this. We started walking along the road, with Freddy watching behind me, and with me watching ahead of us. I glanced to my right after a few minutes passed, and I noticed another light. But it wasn't on the road, it was beside the road instead, and it was directed away from us. It was pointing at a large brick wall, and we could only see one window due to the light.

I frowned and slowly approached the light. I paused and looked up at it, "What are you doing?" Freddy asked, as he stood beside me.

"I'm trying to figure out where we are..." I grumbled. Freddy tapped my shoulder and I turned to look at him. He was holding a flashlight in his paws, and he handed it to me, "Where did you get this?"

He glanced down at the ground, "About...here. It was beside a pack of white stuff..." He held a small bag of white-stuff in his paw. I quickly smacked it out of his paw and frowned, "Yeah, I know. I wasn't going to..." I switched on the flashlight and started walking towards the brick wall. I felt along the wall and used the flashlight to see in front of me.

I gasped as I heard a switch being pulled. Freddy pushed me into a nearby bush, then crawled in beside me. I punched him in the shoulder with a growl and peeked through an opening in the bush. My eyes widened as dozens of lights lit up in front of me.

We had arrived.

It lit up the entire outside of the facility. The front door was completely barricaded with objects and armed predator guards of all species and sizes. I noticed a tiger holding an assault rifle that seemed to be looking straight at me. I whimpered and cowered back into the bush. Freddy frowned and stroked my shoulder gently.

"How are we gonna get in?" I asked, "Bonnie must've gotten in somehow..." Freddy peered out of the bush and spent the next few minutes looking around as best as he could. He glanced at me with a smirk, "Find something?" Freddy nodded.

"You bet." He grabbed my paw and led me out of the bush, and in the direction that we'd come from. I let go of his paw as I noticed what he was leading me to. An open vent on the side of the facility, that the guards seemed to not take notice of. I froze as I heard footsteps approaching slowly.

Freddy frowned and glanced at the vent, "I can't fit in there...I-I'll find another way in," Freddy picked me up. I thrashed my paws and tried to get him to put me down, "I'm sorry Clyde...I'll see you soon." He threw me in the vent and slammed it shut. I grasped the grate with my paws as I saw a flashlight come out from around the corner.

"HEY! STOP!" I saw Freddy run off, and an unfamiliar voice shout, before the person owning the voice seemed to open fire. I stared wide-eyed as the predator walked past the vent, and in the direction that Freddy was. There was another barrage of gunfire, and then silence. I panted heavily and started crawling through the vent, with tears trailing down my face.

I switched on my flashlight and continued pushing through, with it held in front of my face, "Okay...where to go…?" After a minute or two, the horizontal vents starting going up. I sighed and put the flashlight in my mouth, resting my paws and footpads against the walls of the vent, I started to push myself up until the vents went back to going in a horizontal direction. I grabbed the flashlight from my mouth and continued pushing through, panting slightly after pushing myself up for a few minutes.

I slowed down and started crawling a little quieter as I noticed a grate in front of me, with no light cracking through, but it was ajar. I grinned and approached it slowly, "Finally, a way out..." I slowly opened the grate, and peered through the hole. I gasped as I went too far and fell through the vent.

I groaned as I landed on the ground. It felt like tiles, and pain was rushing through my back. I rubbed my eyes and looked up, a gasp escaping my lips as I noticed the vent grate hanging by only a small piece of metal. I was prepared for it, so when the metal piece broke, I extended my paws and caught it.

"Phew..." I rested it on the floor and took out my flashlight. It had turned off during the fall, and wouldn't come back on. I whacked it on it's side a few times, the light coming on every few times I hit it, until it remained lit, "...okay Clyde...let's go..." I wasn't sure what I was looking for exactly, but I knew I would find _something_.

I raised the flashlight and bit my lip. Ahead of me was a long white hallway, with flipped chairs along the centre of the hallway. I started slowly walking forward, clutching the flashlight close to my chest. I sighed and shivered as I walked further down, feeling a gust of wind underneath my chin.

I adjusted my jacket, "Jesus, it's freezing..." I increased my pace until I reached the end of the hallway. There was another hallway leading to the right. I peeked around the corner of the hallway and raised my flashlight.

I grumbled to myself and walked around the corner, slowly starting to walk down the other hallway, "This one is identical to the other hallway..." I paused as I heard a scratching sound echo throughout the facility. My ears perked, and I slowly followed the sound to the end of the hallway I was walking down. I peeked around the corner of the hallway and raised my flashlight.

There were glass doors along a wider hallway that lead down to a metal door. I walked around the corner and slowly approached one of the glass doors with my flashlight raised. I narrowed my eyes as I noticed something in the darkness behind the glass door. I cursed to myself as my flashlight turned off, and the light flickered.

I smacked the side of it and looked up. A pair of jaws gnashed at me and smashed against the glass door. I shrieked and fell backwards, dropping the flashlight onto the ground. I froze, my claws unsheathed and my fur bristled, as I stared at the glass door. I could hear low growling behind me, I turned around and gasped as I noticed a familiar face behind an identical glass door adjacent to the other one.

My eyes widened. I looked down the hallway, towards the metal door, and saw dozens of glass doors. I picked up the flashlight and cursed to myself as I tried to turn it back in, "Crap, broken..." I rested it in my pocket and glanced at the glass door with the familiar face. I peeked in, but before I had the chance to have a better look, another pair of jaws gnashed at the glass, and I fell backwards in fear.

I whimpered and pushed myself back to my feet. I slowly approached the glass door, ready for the jump-scare once more, and sure enough, the same pair of jaws gnashed at the glass. I flinched, but stood my ground. I came closer, until I locked eyes with the owner of the jaws.

My eyes widened, "Senior..." I whispered to myself, "Oh no no no...what have they done to you…?" I rested my paw on the glass and stared at the bear, "...collars..." I noticed a silver collar around his neck. It wasn't the same as the collar he wore before. It didn't blend in with his fur, and it was really reflective and easy to see.

"Let's try again…" I pulled my flashlight out of my pocket and smacked it around. I opened the back and fiddled with the batteries until I got a dim light. I frowned and raised the flashlight in Senior's direction, "...oh my god." He was covered in blood, and had dozens of wounds on his chest. He was almost completely naked, save for a pair of boxers, and his eyes were a dark colour.

I'd seen it before. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I stepped back from Senior and raised the flashlight near the glass door. There was some sort of security code beside it. I glanced at the other glass door, opposite of Senior's, and noticed another security panel.

I raised my flashlight down the hallway. Sure enough, while there were dozens of growls and roars, I noticed dozens of security panels, "...this is it..." I started walking down, using my flashlight to light the way as I stopped, and started looking at different 'cells'.

"...foxes, tigers, lions, bears..." I raised an eyebrow, "No wolves...I expected dozens of them here," I grumbled, "Weird..." I raised my flashlight in the direction of the closest cell and slowly approached, peering inside, "...there you are."

I saw a large lion tearing apart a metal bed in the back of the cell, "Lionheart..." I trailed off, "Singer, songwriter...ex-mayor of Zootopia." I'd obviously caught his attention, because he was looking my direction and emitting a low growl that sent shivers down my spine.

I backed away from the cell with a frown and glanced at the metal door. I raised my paw to the latch, but paused. I turned and looked back down the hallway, "Not finished yet..." I started looking at the cells individually, "Okay...panther, tiger, bear, fox..." I made it to the end of the left side and proceeded to go towards the first cell I saw, on the right side.

I raised the flashlight at the cell, and saw another familiar face. It was a female tiger, which had a torn suit along her fur. I glanced down at the ground inside the cell and noticed a ball-gag resting beside a metal bed. This was the mayor!

"Mayor Claw, there you are..." I trailed off. I glanced at the rest of the cells and started going along the right side, "Tiger, panther..." I sighed, "Foxy isn't here!" I exclaimed, glancing back at Senior's cell.

"There has to be a way to stop this...an antidote or...s-something..." I rubbed my head and glanced at the metal door. I approached it and pulled the latch to the side. I groaned as I pulled the heavy door open and walked inside. I left the door open and continued moving forward with a frown, "...this is...messed up..." I rubbed my eyes and continued walking forward.

It seemed I'd walked into some sort of lab. There was a stretcher, and some futuristic equipment surrounding it. I paused as I noticed something lying atop of a nearby counter. I approached it and raised my flashlight, "Huh, a collar..." I picked it up and glanced at it.

I noticed a nearby mannequin. It was standing beside the door I'd walked through. I glanced at the collar and approached the mannequin with a frown, "Okay...I don't know what I'm doing but...maybe..." I pulled the collar over the mannequin's head and rested it on it's neck.

I gasped as the collar made a wirring sound. It let out a small, quiet alarm, and I noticed a sharp object come out from the side of it, "What the…?" It was a needle. It was poking at the mannequin, trying to inject it with something, but nothing happened. I could see sparks flowing out the side aswell. It was shocking the mannequin!

"It's like...the night-howler serum...in needle form..." I trailed off, "I thought they took them out of production..." I heard tiny footsteps, but before I could react, I felt a sharp sting in my neck, and I fell unconscious.

" _Are you sure you can't do anything about it?"_

" _Sir, we've tried everything. She's gone."_

" _What about my daughter!?"_

" _I'm sorry, sir. There's nothing we can do."_

 _My eyes re-opened. I was holding my father's hand, and we'd just walked out of a large building with a blue badge on the front, "Daddy?" I looked up at him. He had tears below his eyes, and he was sniffling every few seconds, "When are we gonna find mommy?"_

 _He sighed and stroked my forehead, "D-Don't worry about it, Clyde...I'll...I'll figure something out...they're in another place now, I think..." He sighed._

 _I rubbed my eyes, "Where, daddy?"_

" _Somewhere better than here..." He muttered._

I gasped suddenly, and my eyes widened. I groaned as I couldn't feel my paws. I looked around, but I couldn't look too far, and couldn't move my neck very much either, "Where..." I whimpered. I noticed that my paws were in shackles, and pinned against a wall. And I couldn't move my legs at all.

I was in a dark room, and I couldn't see. I winced as I heard a voice in the darkness, "Well well well! I didn't think I would ever see you again..." My eyes widened, as the owner of the voice came out from the darkness. I gasped, and nearly passed out at the sight of her.

It was my sister.

 **Sorry for the late chapter. Hit a massive writer's block! This story is FAR from dead! :3**

 **\- RSM**


	20. Chapter Twenty - The Revolution

My sister and I had locked eyes. We were staring at each other. I was staring at her in disbelief, while she was staring at me in an intimidating way. I groaned and shook my paws, whimpering slightly as I felt a surge of pain in my right paw, "I wouldn't move too much, Clyde." I looked back up at her, and she had a frown on her face.

"...Emily..." Tears were trailing down my face. After all, this time, trying to find my sister, and I couldn't even find any words. I was confused, scared, angry and relieved at the same time.

"Never thought I'd be holding a gun to my brother's head, huh?" She scoffed. Her attitude was much different. She wasn't the sweet little girl that I used to know. Something had changed. Something drastic, because now...she seemed to have some sort of sadistic attitude, as a smirk crept onto her face, "Apologies for that, really. I didn't recognize you until the last second, but, whatever." She shrugged.

"...why are you here…?" I felt a little light-headed. Whatever she injected into my neck really did some damage to me, as I had trouble keeping my eyes open. I felt like I was asleep, and awake at the same time.

She looked away from me, then slowly approached me. She folded her arms and seemed to be examining me, top-to-bottom with her eyes, "Look, I can't explain!" She suddenly shouted. I flinched and whimpered slightly as she raised her paw. I looked at her and realized how much she'd turned out just like Martha, my mother...she had the similar tone of voice, the anger, the tone...the aggression. And the unpredictability.

"Predators, they..." Her angry demeanor slowly faded into a saddened tone, "...they can't be kept in prison. They can't be taught otherwise. Any predator I've ever known has..." She held her head and rubbed her eyes, "They've...just, GOD! The things they DID to me!" She screamed in my face. The anger was back, and it was in full force.

"On my first NIGHT in Zootropolis...I was beaten! Robbed! I was RAPED by three tigers who were twice my size! God damn it I was only EIGHT!" My eyes widened at this, "...this...this isn't some personal vendetta either! Mr. Peng...my old boss he...he had good ideas...he wanted to pacify them, to keep them safe but...we need to put ourselves first. Prey. We may be more in numbers, but compared to predators, we are nothing."

"I'm s-sorry all of that happened to you, Emily...but..." I felt a fist across my face. I coughed heavily and closed my eyes. I spat out a tooth and panted heavily as my eyes reopened. My sister had just hit me…? Was this really happening?

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She shouted, "M-My name is Martha now! You see? My mother and I we...we are a team!" She exclaimed, "But now that she's gone...and dad's gone, and you..." She looked away from me, "...I just...I need to figure this out on my own now."

She looked back at me and slowly re-approached, "Predators are unstoppable unless we do something about it now! Canis...Foxy...Frederick, all of them!" She shouted, "The Chief of Police agreed with me..." She closed her eyes, "He and Peng kidnapped the mayor...staged a 'missing predator' report...and Mr. Peng ordered dozens of predators to be taken here."

"Em-...M-Martha! Why are you doing this!? So what if you had a bad experience! We've all had bad experiences!" I exclaimed, "For the love of god, you robbed me too!" I growled, "I may not have been raped, but I don't feel any anger towards predators! They are the minority!" I coughed, still feeling the pain from the punch, "W-We need to stop this! Now! The collars are only used to enslave...what is your plan then, huh? Bring them in one-by-one and kill them all?"

"No," Emily quickly dismissed what I said, "That's why we're destroying Zootropolis." I froze at that point. I couldn't tell if this was real, or some television show, or a lucid dream. Either way, I was terrified.

"You've...you've got to be kidding me! You'd be killing innocent predators and prey alike!" I shouted. She sighed and shook her head.

"That's why we're evacuating all of the prey. Right now," She chuckled, "All of the predators will remain in the city, while the prey will escape with their lives." She was mad. She was going to destroy a city for reasons I couldn't even fathom. I don't think she even knew why she was going this.

"Martha...you...you're insane..." I felt my heart shatter at those words. Even if I was using my mother's name, I was still talking to my sister here, "...wait...wait! My father...what happened to Niall, Martha? Did you kill him?" She nodded, and I felt my heart stop.

"Niall, he..." She sighed, "He could be a good father when he wanted to. But after my mother told me of everything he did...and the danger he put us in...I let him have it," She clenched her fists, "I bashed Niall's brains in, and I don't regret it one bit!"

"NO!" I screamed, sobbing heavily, "He was still our father!"

"Not anymore he isn't..." She trailed off. She walked into the darkness, but before I could say anything else, the lights came on. I was in a cell, reminiscent of the other cells that the predators were in. I was shackled to a heavy stone wall, and I could see outside of the cell, due to what seemed to be bullet-proof glass beside a security-enabled door behind my sister.

"Clyde," She came closer to me, and I felt myself whimper. I struggled to get away from her as she came closer and closer, so our muzzles were almost touching, "Mom is dead, Niall is dead...and now you're going to die too." She turned and started slowly walking away from me. I pulled at the shackles and screamed at her as she approached the door.

"PLEASE!" I screamed, "DON'T GO!" She didn't flinch. She pressed her finger against the door and pressed in a security key that I couldn't see, "EMILY! PLEASE! I LOVE YOU!" She stopped in her tracks. I whimpered and looked down, closing my eyes as more tears started to form, "You're my sister..." I opened my eyes to see my sister standing in front of me once more, "...and I love you...please...stop this..."

She didn't say anything, she just let me talk, "Anything...t-that might have happened in the past...is irrelevant now...we..." I coughed and wheezed, "...we…! We need to move on...n-now..."

"I can't just move on," My sister muttered, "I can't protect you anymore, Clyde."

"So you're just gonna kill me?" I asked, "And all of these predators!? Your boss is dead! You can still make the right decision here and stop this! Y-You seem to be at the top of the chain right now!" I begged her, trying to get her to see reason, but it didn't seem like it was going to work.

"God...damn it, Emily..." I sighed softly, "Niall and I loved you. You were….are...family for god-sake!" I exclaimed, "Your mother took you away from us...and you're blaming us…?"

"She saved me from you," She said, "Both of you."

"She's...she's brainwashed you..." My sister and I locked eyes once more, "Emily, please...please see reason! Your mom is DEAD."

She closed her eyes and turned away from me, "These cells were created by Zootropolis' top scientists, you know..." She tapped the wall, "They were smart little badgers, weren't they?" She chuckled lightly, "Facial recognition software, security cameras...monitoring software...do you know what happens in these cells?" She looked over at me as if I knew the answer. I shook my head and she sighed.

"We get predators, and we lock them in these cells," She stated the obvious, before she went into a little more detail, "We monitor their behavior using their collars. Their heart-rate...ya know, stuff like that," She looked away from me, "And we slowly destroy their mental state until they can't think for themselves anymore..." I trailed off, "I knew I'd like this job once I saw the predators in here suffering for the first time..." Her voice faded into a whisper before she glanced at me once more.

"I remember one predator in particular..." She folded her arms, "Foxy Cynical." Wait, what? Was I finally going to get some answers about the fox that we were looking for, for so long?

"He would cry...and scream...begging us to let him go..." She shook her head, "He went insane within...a day or so, I think," She trailed off, before returning to the subject at hand, "A-Anyway. The fox drove himself insane without the medication, and we tried our best to bring him back. But after we realized he was too far gone...we started developing...some sort of drug, to assist him."

"D-Drug…?" My eyes narrowed. Where was this going!?

"We...actually tried our best to cure him," She shook her head, "But no matter what we did...what we gave him or anything...nothing worked," She bit her lip and looked down, "Then we realized how fragile the predators really are. So we shifted our focus to the foxes after that. We've got three dozen more in the left wing of this facility. All of them, savage."

"Why!? Is this for personal gain!?" I screamed in her face. She didn't flinch, she just smirked.

"Well, I guess some of it is, yes, but honestly...it's for the good of all prey everywhere." She shrugged.

"NO! It's good for YOU!" I growled.

"As I was saying..." She continued, "...nothing worked on the fox. Once an animal goes insane...it's not possible for the predatory instincts to kick in. At least that's what we got from the experiments..." She shrugged, "...so...we had to put him down."

My heart stopped. I had a feeling this was true. Officer Foxy...was dead. And my sister was the one who did it. She killed Foxy, she killed my father...and she's killed so many more predators and prey alike!

"What are you gaining from this?" I asked.

"There's no need to ask that," She sighed, "Look, let's just get to the point. Fuck the rest I was gonna say," She chuckled lightly, "I'm going to kill Canis first...then Senior...then I'm gonna find that fucking purple rabbit. And after I kill that little bastard, I'm gonna hunt down your boyfriend and kill him." She spat in my face.

All four of them were here. Senior was only a few cells away, but the others...I had no idea where any of the others were. It seemed that Canis never did make it onto his flight. Maybe he was in a cell or something nearby.

She turned to leave, but I quickly stopped her, "HEY! WAIT!" I exclaimed. She turned and looked at me, one final time.

"What...what do you want now, Clyde?" She asked, in a tired tone.

"Is...I-Is all this because of what happened at Christmas!?" I exclaimed. My sister winced, and she immediately realized what I was referring to, "I-I know mom and dad fought a lot...but that isn't the reason why you're doing this, is it? You said before you can't protect me anymore...but I don't need you to protect me!"

"YOU ALWAYS NEEDED MY PROTECTION!" She screamed, catching me off-guard, "Without me, you wouldn't have made it through to the next year." I panted heavily as I locked eyes with her once more.

My eyes opened. I was lying in my bed. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, pushing myself off my back and throwing my legs over the side of the bed. I rested my footpads on the timber floor and shivered as I felt the cold timber pressing against the pads of my foot paws. I yawned again and turned to look at my bed. I smiled as I noticed my plush bunny resting at the end of the bed.

I reached over to the plush and pulled it against my side gently. I scooped it up in my paws and cuddled it tightly, it's ears just resting upon my little shoulders. It was only a few months since my sister and I saw my mother and father fight in the living room. The screaming...the hitting...

I sighed as I pushed those thoughts out of my head. I cuddled my plush tightly and stroked it's ears, before pulling it away from my chest. The blue stripes on the plush seemed to resemble tear-tracks, which just made my mind go back to what I was thinking about earlier, "Fluffbun..." I trailed off.

I pushed myself off the bed, holding Fluffbun in my right paw. I glanced at my window and noticed it was snowing outside. I clutched my plush tightly as I approached the window and had a better look. The road and grass outside were completely covered in beautiful white blankets of snow. My tail swished back and forth as I noticed a wolf around my age across the street.

He was building a snowman beside his driveway. He was giggling to himself. He noticed me looking at him and waved at me. I smiled and returned the wave before I heard a pair of footsteps downstairs. I instantly thought that it was my mother, as my father didn't wake up until late in the morning. He worked late, so he needed to sleep in to regain his strength.

I remembered my father's little song he sang for me. Well, only the first couple lines. But those used to calm me down when I was stressed or scared, "...fluffy rabbits hopping along..." I whispered to myself in a timid tone as I approached the door, "...through the ripe fields of farm and song..." I rested my paw on the doorknob and walked out of my room.

I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip as I quietly shut the door behind me. I glanced to the right and noticed my father and mother's bedroom door was locked. I approached the top of the stairs and peered over the railing.

And there she was. My mother walked underneath the stairs and down the hallway leading to the front door. She was wearing a large coat, and winter clothing beneath there. I was tempted to ask where she was going, but before I got the courage to, she was already out the front door. I tilted my head as I noticed something peeking around the corner of the living room.

I slowly went down a few steps before I realized what it was. It was a green pine tree. A small one, in the living room, with a gold star on the top and presents surrounding it.

"Oh, my..." My eyes widened, "OH MY GOSH!" I squealed and ran back up the stairs, almost tripping on the top step. I ran to the right and almost slipped along the timber floor. I pushed open the door to my sister's room and ran in, flailing my arms around, "OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH!" I screamed as I ran to my sister's sleeping form.

I pressed my paws against her back and pressured her, "Em! Em! Em! Wake up! It's Christmas!" I giggled. Emily rolled over and grinned at me.

"It's Christmas?" Her eyes widened, "Let's go downstairs!" She smiled and got out of her bed. She was wearing pajamas with pink kittens strewn across it. I grabbed her paw and led her out of her room and down the stairs.

We stopped at the Christmas tree and giggled amongst ourselves, "Looks like you two are awake..." I glanced behind me to see my father standing at the entrance to the kitchen, with a coffee in his paw.

"Aww..." I trailed off, "I was hoping to steal some gifts!" Emily and Niall laughed.

"I still need to prepare a few things for later! If you go outside and play for a while, I'll make you some hot chocolates with some bunny biscuits, how's that sound?" I nodded.

"Yes, daddy!" I pushed myself to my feet and ran outside. It was freezing outside, but my pajamas were really protective against the cold, "Come on, sis!"

"Wait up, kiddo..." She followed me closely. She looked around with narrowed eyes and grinned, "Hey! Why don't we build...a snowman!" She exclaimed, "The best snowman in town! How's that sound?"

"I like that…!" I smiled. My sister and I started making large balls of snow. She walked inside a few minutes later and came out with some black buttons, a winter cap and a carrot for the snowman.

A few more minutes passed before our creation was finished. We backed away from it and stared at it in awe, "Wow..." I smiled. The snowman was decorated in dots of black around the body, with a carrot for a nose, and two blue buttons for eyes. The winter cap was atop of its head, and the snowman had a big smile on its face.

"Thanks, Em..." I hugged her tightly. We glanced at the door and noticed my father had just opened the door.

"Hot chocolates are inside kids! Come on in!" My sister giggled and ran inside.

"I'll be in soon!" I approached the snowman and smiled at it, "Hi Mr. Snow-man..." I giggled. Before I could say or do anything else, I felt something cold thump against the back of my head. I fell face-first into the snow and groaned as I got a mouthful of it.

I coughed and rubbed my eyes as I turned, my back resting against the snow. I felt another cold thump on the side of my face this time. I pushed myself to my feet and realized that the wolf across the street was throwing snowballs at me. He was laughing and throwing as many at me as he possibly could, "Come on! Come play!" He laughed.

I giggled and started making some snowballs, throwing them across the street. A few of them even hit the kid in the face. I glanced at the door and smiled at my sister as she came out. As soon as I turned my head, a snowball was hurled at me. I felt it smash against the back of my head, and I fell onto the snow.

I rubbed my eyes, only to see my sister run across the street and approach the wolf. I rubbed my eyes once more, brushing away the snow, only to see my sister hitting the wolf, "Em! Stop!" I screamed. My father came out from the house and ran across the street, nearly getting hit by a car. He pried my sister off of the wolf and told her to come back inside.

My father panted and led the wolf towards his own house, "It's okay, Canis..." He trailed off, as he knocked on the wolf's house's door. My sister grumbled and approached me.

I whimpered and cowered behind the snowman as she came closer to me, "Stop it, Clyde! I protected you!" After that, my sister and I didn't talk too much. I was scared of her for a good couple years before she was taken away from me by my mother…

I re-opened my eyes, with new tears forming beneath my eyes, "...I didn't need to be protected..." I whispered, "I love you...so much Em...but...t-this needs to stop...daddy loved you, mommy loved you, but...it's over now..." I whimpered, "Please...stop..." My sister turned away from me. I could see tears fall on the floor beneath her feet.

"Canis didn't mean any harm..." I whimpered. She turned and looked at me, with anger in her eyes.

"HE DID!" She screamed, "It explains why he was such a piece of SHIT to you all the time after that!"

"He was only like that because you beat him up! He knew you were my sister!" I shouted, "You instigated everything that happened afterward! Even if this was irrelevant, Canis apologized, and I forgave him! D-Doesn't that matter, Emily!?"

"No..." She shook her head, "We're...we're done talking, Clyde. Goodbye..." She turned and walked away from her. I screamed at her and tried my hardest to catch her attention, but to no avail. She walked out of the cell and locked the door behind her. My eyes widened as I felt a tingling sensation in my neck.

I looked down at myself and gasped. There was a collar wrapped around my neck. No wonder predators could wear these without issue...they don't feel a damn thing! I tried to pry my arms out of the shackles, but to no avail. There was no way that I would be getting out of here.

The collar started to send weird sensations throughout my body before I suddenly lost consciousness.

I woke up in a state of shock. I was completely numb, and I couldn't move. Every sound was muffled. So when I heard banging, I lifted my head, but couldn't see what it was, due to my sight being impaired. I saw a large figure banging against the window. I could see the indentations of their mouth moving, and I could hear muffled screaming.

It took me a few seconds to recognize the color of what was banging on the door. The figure was purple! I shook my head and realized that Bonnie was banging against the glass, "Bonnie!?" I screamed, "Can you hear me!?" He didn't seem to be able to understand, as he constantly pressed his ear against the glass and made gestures that reflected that he couldn't hear.

But when he spoke, I could hear him. Not clearly, but I could still hear him, "They got Freddy! Senior too...Canis and I found each other outside! I have no idea how you got in there...but I'm going to get you out!"

"Where's Canis!?" I shouted. He didn't hear me, but I guess he could read my lips, cause he responded.

"He's in the room to the right there! Canis, come here!" Before I knew it, Canis was standing outside of the cell as well, "Sound travels fast in this place...and your sister is going to be back any second looking for us! We need to get this door open!" I looked around for any way out but couldn't see one.

My eyes widened as I noticed the security camera that Emily was speaking about earlier. When she inserted the security key to open the door, could the security camera have caught it? I used my eyes to direct their attention to the security camera, then to the keypad.

"What? Oh...I think I understand..." Bonnie said, "The camera could've caught the keypad!" He exclaimed, "Where would we be able to find a room for that, though?"

"I'm sure it would be in the administration wing..." Canis said, "It's a few rooms to the right!"

"Good luck..." I muttered.

"Stay safe..." Bonnie said, running off. Canis frowned at me and ran off with Bonnie. I sighed and stared at the ceiling for the minutes that followed. My sister didn't come back to the cell, and it was frighteningly silent.

I looked up at the security camera and noticed that it was looking in my direction. I looked up at it and narrowed my eyes. I realized that if they were there...watching me, I could tell them everything! But...I decided to wait. Now wasn't the time. We needed to find Freddy, find...s-some way to get Senior, Lionheart and the mayor out...then the other predators...before trying to escape.

I realized how hard that would be. It would literally be impossible. But...I didn't see the mayor in her cell. Only her picture outside of the cell, and a different colored tiger inside of there! Maybe the mayor was somewhere else? Before I could think of anything else, Bonnie and Canis returned. Bonnie pressed a few numbers on the security key, and luckily, the door opened wide. Canis pushed Bonnie to the side and ran in.

He unshackled me from the wall and I collapsed onto the ground. Canis knelt beside me and rubbed my shoulder, "It's so good to see you..." Bonnie knelt beside me as well, "I thought I'd never see you again..." Canis whispered.

I frowned and nodded. Bonnie sighed and glanced at me once more, "Okay...t-this is the plan. We're going to find Foxy...then the mayor, then we're going to get the hell out of here!" Canis nodded, agreeing with Bonnie's plan.

This was going to hurt everyone. But I needed to tell Bonnie of Foxy's fate before we went any further. Otherwise, we would be searching for someone who was already dead, "Bonnie..." He and I locked eyes, "M-My sister...told me...about lots of...things..." I trailed off.

"Clyde…?" His eyes widened. I swallowed my courage and I felt myself break down once more.

"I-I'm sorry Bonnie...he's dead..." I could see the color drain from Bonnie's face. He pushed himself to his feet and leaned against a nearby wall. I was too sore to get up to do anything, but Canis quickly got into action and stood beside the rabbit.

Bonnie was muttering to himself, and he looked like he was going to throw up. Suddenly, he started sobbing. I felt my heart break at this, "NO!" He screamed, sobbing heavily, "Foxy...I-I...we were...too late I'm...oh god I'm sorry..." Canis frowned and stroked the bunny's shoulder.

I froze as I heard a metal door opening. If I remembered correctly, the metal door was at the end of the hallway, only ten cells to the left. Canis and I locked eyes, "Y-You carry Bonnie...he obviously can't walk...I'll try to find a way out!" I pushed myself to my feet and winced as I approached the cell's door.

Bonnie felt a pair of paws and was lifted off the ground. It took him a few seconds to realize that he'd been swept into Canis' arms. He carried the rabbit out of the cell and followed me as I ran down the hallway, in the opposite direction to the metal door. I remembered the way I came in, through the vent. There was no way we could all get through there again. I stopped at the final cell and peered inside.

As I thought, Mayor Claw wasn't in there. It was a different tiger, "We need to find the Mayor..." I glanced at Canis, "If we can get her out of here alive...we can get her to tell everyone the truth, and expose everyone." Canis nodded.

"We're gonna have to kill her..." Canis said. We turned right and started walking in a direction I hadn't been down before.

"The mayor?" I glanced at Canis. Bonnie was still sobbing in his arms, but he was quieter.

"No..." Canis frowned. His ears flattening against his head, "Your sister, Clyde..." He whispered. I felt my heart shatter at the unbelievable and inconceivable thought of ending my sister's life. But it seemed to be the only way to stop this madness.

"She told me she's going to destroy Zootropolis..." I said, "She said...that all the predators would stay...while all the prey will be evacuated!" I exclaimed, "We need to stop her...maybe we could...r-reason with her."

Canis shook his head, "Clyde. I know this is hard. But we can't reason with her. She's too far gone." I knew this deep down, and when I finally realized that the only solution was to end her life, tears started trailing down my face once more.

Blinding flashes of who she used to be flashed across my mind, as well as who she was now. What had happened to Em? I sighed and rubbed my eyes as we progressed further away from where we were. We froze as we heard two familiar voices echoing nearby.

We glanced to our left and noticed an open door, "Wait here for a second..." I whispered. Canis nodded and I proceeded to the open door. I peered inside and nearly gasped as I saw my sister speaking with the chief of police; 'Chief Corr'.

"...I can't just make a statement like this..." Chief Corr said, "We should stop this, Martha...I thought this would be beneficial...but we're going through exactly what Zootopia went through before civilization came through!" He exclaimed, "I can't evacuate the city like this. We need to come clean."

"It's fine...now that I think about it...I've changed my plan," My sister smirked, "While I deal with my brother, then Canis, Bonnie and Freddy, Senior too, now that I think about it..." She sighed to herself, "You make the announcement, that the predators and prey are in a war. Make the announcement over the main radio station!" She exclaimed.

"Wait, what?" Chief Corr asked, "A war? We can't do that! Millions will be killed!"

"I don't mean a full scale; 'tanks and RPGs' war. I meant, a war between races...like...prey and predator fighting on the streets. Prey finally realizing who the predators finally are! They will rise, and destroy all of the predators!" She exclaimed.

Chief Corr stared at her as if she was insane, "Okay. Martha. That's it. I'm leaving, and I'm telling all of my soldiers and officers outside that it's OVER!" He exclaimed. He pushed Martha away and grabbed his radio, "Soldiers, officers. Head back to main duty, change of plans. Head back to base, over." He turned off the radio.

My eyes widened as I noticed my sister fumble around her thigh for a second, "Now, I'm leaving!" Chief Corr exclaimed. My sister smirked and pulled a knife from her pocket. She jumped up on a nearby chair, then atop of the chief, penetrating his neck with the sharp blade. I winced and looked away from the door, hearing his sickening coughs, and his feeble attempts to breathe, until he breathed his last breath.

"...attention..." My eyes widened. I peered back into the room and saw my sister speaking into the radio. She picked up a gun from the table and loaded it, so my courage quickly diminished. She was breaking into the main radio station!

"Attention all prey, attention all prey! The predators are not who you see them as! They are rising, and they are going to kill you all. Your friend, your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, sister...if they're a predator, they are plotting against you! I'm warning you all, now, to exterminate, all predators. I repeat; exterminate, all predators." She practically screamed.

"The predators have been planning a revolution, harmony is all a lie! Take out your guns, baseball bats, everything to take down all of these predators before they all murder you! Don't be afraid! Because we outnumber them...ten..." Her voice lowered, "...to one." She hung up.

I peered into the room once more and watched as she destroyed the radio, preventing me from doing anything to it. She turned to face the door and I quickly hid behind it. She'd rested against the wall near the door, with her eyes facing away from me. I perked my ears and listened intently.

She seemed afraid. Her paws were shaking, and she had a look of fright on her face, "It's too late now, Emily. They were gonna...they were gonna..." She sighed and rubbed her eyes, "Prey will triumph...not predator...shit..." She turned to glance at the door.

"...now, to find that god-damn mayor. I can't believe we got the wrong one..." She walked out of the room, "Then...my brother dies..." She muttered as she walked away. She wasn't going to physically destroy Zootropolis...she was going to get the citizens to destroy the city themselves…

I knew that wasn't the right mayor! They looked similar, but they got the wrong person…! I paused, "Wait..." I trailed off. The tiger had the mayor's suit on! It had to be the mayor…

Unless...it was an imposter of some sort...but that was a little too far-fetched to believe. I sighed and rubbed my eyes, I needed a plan, and fast. I quickly ran back over to Canis, and Bonnie, who seemed to have finally calmed down. I hugged him tightly and frowned, "Hey..." I trailed off.

"I-I'm fine..." Bonnie whispered, "What happened...o-over there?"

"My sister she...she tapped into the main radio station..." I sighed, "It seems Zootropolis is going to engage in a war between predator and prey..." I muttered.

"Just like in the old tales..." Canis and Bonnie exchanged glances.

"We need to find Freddy. These predators...we can't do anything for them. That includes Senior...or anything else that we know. The mayor is either missing or incurable...so we're on our on!" I exclaimed, rubbing my forehead, "Okay. I have a plan...i-it might work..."

"What's the plan?" Bonnie glanced at me.

"Have either of you seen a lab of any sort? They would have a test for a cure, wouldn't they?" I asked. Canis nodded and pointed in the direction we came from.

"There is a small lab down there, let's head down there. Tell us the plan on the way." Canis folded his arms as I started walking. My two friends walked beside me as I started to explain.

"Okay...if we can find some sort of vial that has some testing for a cure or something in it. We are going to use it on Lionheart," Canis raised his paw, "Wait, let me explain..."

I continued with a frown, my ears lowering as I went further into detail, "He used to be the mayor of Zootopia before he was imprisoned. He's now a singer...but I'm sure he still knows how to be a mayor!" I exclaimed, shrugging, "And besides, we don't really have any other plans!"

"Anyway..." I sighed, "We'll use the cure on him...i-if we manage to get it to work...we need to head back to Zootropolis and get him to City Hall, or somewhere where he can tell everyone what is truly happening, and end any conflict." Canis pressed a paw against my chest, stopping me in my tracks.

"Good plan, but they're two things wrong with that," Canis said. I frowned and tilted my head, "Number one; your sister is still on the loose. She could ruin all of this!" I sighed. He was right! I should've done something, damn it.

"And two; what if the cure doesn't work?" Canis asked.

I looked down, "Well...if it doesn't...we'll be on our own..." I muttered. Bonnie stroked my shoulder and hugged me gently. I froze as I heard something back in the direction we came from.

"...I need to go after my sister..." I said, "You two. Head to the lab and see what you can find. I need to find my sister," I ordered, "Find Freddy if you can!"

"But..." I growled lowly.

"GO!" I shouted. Canis and Bonnie nodded and ran off in the direction of the lab that Canis spoke about. I ran in the opposite direction, in the direction of the noise. I slowed down as I noticed an open metal door at the end of the hallway, similar to the one in the other cell block. It was cracked open slightly, and it seemed to have been opened recently.

"...there you..." I heard a voice inside there. I jogged towards it and peered inside. I didn't see anything, so I walked inside, with my ears perked. It was dark in there, I couldn't see where I was going. I panted softly, trying to avoid catching attention to myself.

I gasped as the light suddenly came on, and I was face-to-face with Freddy, "...oh my..." I grabbed him and held him tightly. I refused to let him go, I just couldn't!

"How did you get in here!?" I started crying. Freddy stared at me wide-eyed and held me tighter, "...oh god...I thought I would never see you again after..." I nuzzled his neck and held the collar of his shirt tightly.

"After what, Clyde…?" Freddy looked down at me with a frown, his ears lowering his head. He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at me. I followed his gaze and noticed he was looking at the marks around my wrists from me being shackled against the wall of the cell. I looked up at him, my ears flattening as I noticed the angry expression on his face, "...what happened?"

I looked down and didn't answer, "Clyde...I know you probably don't want to tell me...but I want to know...please..." I looked back him, then felt tears trail my face. He brushed them away with a finger and stroked my cheek.

"...my sister owns everything now...the locked me up...told me things..." I whispered, "...if we don't get to Zootropolis...the town will..." He frowned and shook his head.

"I-I don't understand! Tell me more, please!" I flinched and looked away from him. Freddy sighed and pulled away from me, resting his head on his paws. I turned away from him, feeling tears trailing down my face once more. I turned to look back at him, only to see that he wasn't there.

My eyes widened and I looked around. I glanced at the door and noticed it was cracked open a little further. I pulled the door open and ran outside, only to Emily standing in the hallway with an arm wrapped around Freddy's shoulder, holding him against her. She was holding a gun in her right paw, and inches from Freddy's neck, she was holding the knife she'd murdered Corr within her left paw.

"...Emily..." I raised my paw and inched forward towards her, "...before you do anything..." My sister's eye twitched slightly, and she pressed the knife against Freddy's neck, drawing a little bit of blood. The blood trailed down his neck and through his fur, "Wait!" I exclaimed, holding both of my paws up.

"I'm going to Zootropolis, with your little friend here...you fuck with me, or follow me...he dies," She said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "Understand me, Clyde?"

"It doesn't have to be this way, god-damn it!" I came closer to her, but quickly regretted it as she made another cut on Freddy's neck, "No! Wait!" Freddy groaned and tried to escape before he was pulled against her once more.

"I may be a small...weak bunny...but I got a knife, and a gun," She tilted her head, "So...we got a deal, Clyde?" I knew deep down that she was insane. No matter what I said, she wouldn't listen to reason. But I couldn't help but try again. Maybe I could try to reason with her. I frowned as I realised that I'd just contradicted myself, but I pursed my lips and continued to speak.

"How will killing anyone else help anything?" I asked, in a timid tone, "Dad is dead, so is my mom...now you wanna kill my boyfriend, then me...my friends, and then the whole city!" I shouted, "Who else gains from that but you!?"

"That's the whole point," She muttered, "Last chance. Deal, or not?" I looked down. I knew I would regret this, but I was ready to defend my friend. But I quickly realized that no matter what I did, she wouldn't let him go.

"...deal..." I could see Freddy's terrified expression when I said that, and I felt my heart shatter, "I'm sorry..." Emily pulled Freddy closer and led him away from me, and out of my sight. I fell to my knees and stared down at the ground, ears flattening against my head.

I looked up as I heard two pairs of footprints approaching quickly. Canis and Bonnie were back from the lab, "We found something!" Canis held a small bottle in his paw, with a label on the front that just read; 'Test'.

"I-It just says test...how do we know it's the cure?" I looked up at Bonnie.

"Well...it was sitting beside a small television. There was a tape in there, and the tape showed the effects of what was in this bottle here..." Bonnie took the bottle and examined it, "...on a bear. The tape showed the effects of it being thrown at the bear, right?" I nodded and beckoned for him to continue, "The bear slowly started to calm down. And...eventually, it's eyes returned to normal, and just before the tape ended, we could see the fear on the bear's face."

"Jesus..." I trailed off.

"Yeah...this place is...evil..." Canis said, hugging himself. Bonnie frowned and nodded, agreeing without him in silence, "...you're crying? What happened, Clyde?"

"Emily paid us a visit..." I trailed off.

"'Us'?" Bonnie tilted his head.

"I found Freddy...in there..." I pointed to the room behind me. Before Bonnie or Canis could go anywhere, I raised my paw to stop them, "...he's gone. She took him to the city. I don't know why she's going down there...but we need to get her. We need to get Freddy back!" I clenched my fists, "And we need to...reason with Emily..."

"She can't be reasoned with, Clyde!" Bonnie exclaimed, but Canis quickly shushed him.

I closed my eyes and looked down, "Look...we need to follow through with our plan...back to the cells, right?" Bonnie nodded, "Okay, good. Let's go to Lionheart's cell, I guess..." I sighed and started walking in the direction of the cells. Canis folded his arms and walked beside me, while Bonnie trailed behind us with a frown on his face.

Canis and I exchanged glances, "He's obviously not handling Foxy's death well..." I muttered. Canis shook his head and rested his paws in his pockets.

"Obviously not," Canis sighed, "I feel bad for him...I can't even begin to fathom what is going through his mind right now..." He whispered, before peering over his shoulder to look at Bonnie, who was staring at the ground with folded arms. Canis turned to look at me once more.

"We'll keep an eye on him...in the meantime...we have a city we need to save..." I turned to the right and before I knew it, we were back in the first hallway of cells I came across when I came in. I walked down the hallway until I reached Lionheart's cell, with Canis and Bonnie right beside me. I rested my paw on the glass and peered inside. The lion was asleep on the cold hard floor. I winced at the sight of his jaws, then turned to look at Canis, "Okay...you're opening the door..." I muttered.

Bonnie nodded and rested his paw on the security panel. I quickly grabbed his paw, "Wait wait!" I whisper-shouted.

"What is it?" Bonnie asked, his ears flattening against his head.

"Does the cure work immediately?" I asked, "We need to get to Zootropolis as soon as possible...and when I open the door and toss this thing at him, I need to know that I won't be killed."

"You're going on? Thanks for volunteering." Canis smirked.

My eyes widened as I just realized I accidently volunteered for an almost-suicidal task, "Shit I didn't…! Okay...fine! Just answer the question, fast."

"Short answer; yes," Bonnie replied, "It happened within the first few seconds of it being thrown."

"Ready?" Canis asked as Bonnie rested his paw on the security panel. Bonnie handed me the bottle and put in the security key. The door opened, and Lionheart's eyes opened. I locked eyes with him as I raised my arm over my head. His pure black eyes sent shivers down my spine, and I quickly through the glass bottle.

I smashed against the side of the lion, it shattered against his side, the glass piercing his fur, with the liquid sifting through the fur as well. I clenched my fists and backed away, "Shut the door! Shut the-..." Before I could react, the lion pounced on me and gnashed his jaws. I rested my paws on his muzzle, trying to keep him off of me.

"GUYS!" I screamed as I kept the lion off me as best as I could. Bonnie and Canis were grunting and trying to pull the lion off me, before Lionheart's eyes closed and he fell limp on top of me. I panted heavily and pushed him off of me, watching him land on the ground beside me. Canis leaned a paw and helped me to my feet.

Bonnie and Canis stood beside me as we watched Lionheart as he just laid on the ground, "I-I thought I was dead..." I whimpered, holding my head with my paws. Canis frowned and stroked my shoulder while Bonnie watched Lionheart intently. I rubbed my eyes and looked up, staring at the lion as he rolled around the floor, growling a frightening and predatory growl for what seemed like forever. Canis had rested his paw on my chest as if he was trying to protect me from the lion.

Bonnie finally backed away from Lionheart and stood beside us with flattened ears. Another minute passed before the lion stopped moving, and his breathing slowly silenced. I gently removed Canis' paw from my chest and pushed myself to my feet. I held a paw in front of me and approached the lion, his back facing me. Bonnie and Canis slowly followed me.

I rested a paw on the lion's back and stroked his fur gently, letting my paw sink into the deep fur. I stroked it for a few seconds, a small smile creeping onto my face. My father used to always do that with Emily and I. He'd sit us down on my bed and do our hair, while slowly resting his paws on our shoulders with a gentle smile. He would let his paws sink into the fur gently and massage them. It was always a good feeling, and I nearly started sobbing once more before I pushed those thoughts away.

The lion grumbled lightly. My ears perked, and I stepped back. Canis and Bonnie stood beside me as the lion rolled over so that he was looking at us. His eyes were his original beautiful color, and his fur wasn't all bristled and sharp. He'd lost his predatory instinct, and he was back to his normal self, "...who are you people?" He asked, in an unfamiliar gentle voice. When he'd spoken to me on the plane, he'd spoken in a deep and happy voice.

He seemed like the enthusiastic type of lion, but for whatever reason, he just didn't speak like he did before. It must've been due to the circumstances. I locked eyes with him and gave him a light smile, "My name's Clyde...this is Canis, and Bonnie." I pointed to the others respectively.

"You and I met on the plane to Zootropolis." I reminded him, my smile fading as he rubbed his head. He tried to get up, but his legs shook and he fell down quickly.

"Yeah, don't get up," Bonnie said, kneeling beside him, "We've just injected you with a drug so, we don't know exactly what the effects are. All we know is that you're normal again." Lionheart rubbed his eyes and looked at us with a confused expression.

"Drug…?" He looked around, "What is this place?" Then he looked at me, "Hey, yeah! I remember...yeah, I remember you. I sat beside you, didn't I?" He pushed himself onto his rear and sat on the ground, looking up at me with an expectant expression.

I nodded and knelt in front of him, "Do you remember anything?" Lionheart scanned the area with his eyes, while not moving an inch.

"I remember..." He rubbed his eyes, "I remember arriving here, getting settled in...I didn't get the job I wanted because," He held his head while groaning, "Agh, my head hurts..." I noticed the collar around his neck and gently rested my paws on it.

"You have a collar on..." I whispered, "Let me get it off." Lionheart rested his paws on his neck and trailed them gently around it, feeling the collar. I pulled at it, but I couldn't get it off, so I retracted my paws.

"Collar? When was this put on…?" He looked up at Bonnie, expecting an answer. And an answer he did receive.

"You would've had it put on when you arrived here, or in the days following it," Bonnie folded his arms. "All predators have to wear collars in this place. It's a law that goes way back."

"When I was..." He rubbed his eyes once more, "I was the mayor of a place similar to this!" He exclaimed, "I remember the rabbit and fox, being arrested and interrogated. Then I was banished from Zootopia. I started singing in a smaller town, then I came to the big city..." He trailed off.

"Why does that matter?" Canis asked, in a bored tone.

"Because when I was the mayor of Zootopia," Lionheart said, "I had been asked dozens of times through letters, that I should put in the collar law," He shook his head, "I always declined it, however, as it gives off the feeling that predators are second-class citizens." His deep and confident voice finally returned.

"Well, that's good to know," Bonnie muttered, "Look around. See all of these cells?" Lionheart slowly started to push himself to his feet. I rested my paws on his thigh and helped him up. He almost fell a couple times, but Canis and I kept him steady.

"Thanks..." Lionheart exhaled as if he'd just run a mile non-stop, "It feels like they're pins and needles in my legs," He chuckled lightly, "What's in the cells?" Lionheart looked around, then noticed the open cell door, "Did I come out of there?"

Canis and Bonnie folded their arms and glanced at me. At the time, I assumed that they were looking at me, expecting me to answer since I was in one of the cells myself. I looked in the direction of my cell, then frowned as I forgot about the collar around my neck.

"U-Uh, sorry," I grumbled, "Yeah, you came out of that cell," I explained what we'd learned so far, the predators being captured, who was behind it all, and what the situation was at that point. During the explanation, Lionheart's expression slowly faded into a frown, and his ears had flattened against his head.

"...and she's gone to the city with him," I looked down, after swallowing my sadness I looked back up at him, then only spoke in a whisper, "...I figured...since you've had experience at being a mayor...you could help us." Lionheart nodded and rested a paw beneath his chin.

Before he said anything, he wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly, "I'm sorry about your family, and everything," Lionheart muttered, "And your...boyfriend, too." He nodded. I frowned and pulled away from him after a few seconds of silence.

"So, what's the plan now?" Bonnie turned to me.

"Next step...we get Lionheart cleaned up, and get the hell to Zootropolis before too much damage is done," I said. The others nodded and we started walking back down the hallway and to the right, "The front doors will be locked, so we'll have to use the vent I used to get in here."

"Think he'll fit in there?" Canis gestured to Lionheart. Truth be told, Lionheart wasn't big by any means, he was just solid and pretty tall. Chances were that he wouldn't fit through the vent, but there was also another issue, and it became apparent as we walked into the room where I'd dropped into.

The four of us looked up with frowns, "That's a good...five, six meters off the ground," Bonnie said, glancing at me, "How the hell are we gonna get in there?" I looked around and scratched my forehead, "We could stack these worn tables..." Canis muttered, "But we'd have to be really careful getting up."

"No kidding..." Lionheart looked at me with a worried expression, "That looks like it'll be a tough fit." My ears lowered.

"These tables won't hold any of us," Canis knelt beside a nearby table, resting a paw on one of the table's legs. It immediately broke and collapsed onto the floor, "What now, then?" I looked back up at the vent and exhaled.

"Okay. Let's stand on each other's shoulders," I said, "Lionheart at the bottom, he's the strongest."

"Is this the best plan you got?" Bonnie glanced at me, with a bored expression planted on his lips.

Canis narrowed his eyes and looked at him, "Got any better plan?" He snapped at him, "Now isn't the time to be an asshole, now is the time to help us!" I flinched at Canis' sudden outburst, leaving the room in uncomfortable silence. Lionheart and I exchanged awkward looks before Canis cleared his throat.

Bonnie's ears lowered and he didn't say anything. I wasn't game to say anything either, it was a tense situation, and Bonnie had only just recently found out about Foxy's death. Lionheart tapped me on the shoulder and squatted down, with both of his arms outstretched. He had seemed to agree with my plan without saying another word, "...come on." I whispered, not wanting to provoke an argument or any glares in my direction.

It took a bit of cooperation and a few falls before we managed to reach the vent. Bonnie pulled himself into the vent, grunting as he did so, "Think you could grab me?" Canis asked, after a few seconds of no movement and silence.

"Fat chance," Bonnie grumbled, looking down at him.

"Just pull me up! I'm sorry, okay?" Canis narrowed his eyes, "Christ almighty..." Bonnie rolled his eyes and grasped Canis' paw, holding it for a few seconds before he frowned at the wolf.

"I'm sorry..." Bonnie whispered, catching Canis by surprise.

"I-It's okay..." Canis' ears flattened, "Just...help me up, and we'll talk about it on the way out." Bonnie nodded and rested his legs against the side of the vent, grabbing the wolf's other paw. He clenched his teeth and pulled Canis up as hard as he could. Canis panted as he made it into the vent and collapsed beside the rabbit.

I noticed them exchange apologetic expressions before they looked down at us from the vent. It was only then that I realized that no matter how far I reached, I wouldn't be able to get up there, and there was no chance that the lion would get in there, for two reasons.

His size, and how far he was from the vent. I sighed and looked down at the lion, "Put me down, pal." I said. Lionheart frowned and did as I asked, gently resting me on the ground beside him.

"What are you doing?" Canis asked, his ears flattening against his head, "Can't you guys get up here?" I shook my head.

"Lionheart and I'll find another way out," I cupped my paws over my mouth, "Just go to the right of you, and follow the vent. It should take you straight out."

"Where are we gonna meet?" Bonnie asked, frowning alongside the wolf.

"There should be a dirt road just outside the vent, follow it, then climb through the hole in the barb-wire fence," I said, mentally congratulating myself for memorising that after what my sister had done to me, "Just go the completely opposite direction from the fence, and you should come across the road. Meet us in one of the cars there."

"Can't be specific?" Canis asked, tilting his head. I shook my head in response, causing Canis to curse under his breath, "Okay, sure. Will you two be okay?"

Lionheart and I exchanged glances. He didn't look too happy about not being able to follow the others, but I think that he understood, "I'll protect him." Lionheart looked down at me. I felt my face flush slightly, but I quickly dismissed the comment and folded my arms.

"If anything, he should be protecting you," Canis said, as he turned to crawl through the vent, "You look like shit, mayor." He smirked and crawled away. Bonnie giggled quietly and looked at me with a worried smile.

"You guys gonna be okay?" Bonnie asked, his smile fading into his well-known frown. We nodded, and that was everything that Bonnie needed to know. He waved at us sheepishly and followed Canis. With both of them now out of sight, Lionheart and I exchanged glances as we walked out of the room and down the hallway.

We walked past the hallway of cells and past the second hallway of cells, before peering around another corner. I'd never been into this part of the facility. It was a narrow hallway, but it was too dark to see what was at the end of it. I swallowed my courage and started walking down the hallway, with Lionheart by my side, "So..." He trailed off. I turned to look at him, slipping my arms into the pockets of my torn pants.

"So?" I tilted my head.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" He turned to look at me once more.

"Well...yeah. All this stuff going on. There's no other word that I can find to describe all of this," I shook my head, "Maybe...crazy, insane...despicable..." Lionheart had a warm smile on his face, "What's the smile for, Lionheart?"

"I'm just...overwhelmed," He chuckled nervously, his deep voice echoing throughout the facility, "You and I were on a plane here, thinking about what we were gonna be...and what we were gonna do. We were both so excited and now..." His smile faded into a frown, and his tone lowered slightly. I noticed it instantly and rested a paw on a shoulder as we couldn't walking – almost blindly, mind you – down the dark, freezing hallway.

"Now we're here," I added, "I wish none of this ever happened, but..." I looked down.

"But what, bun?" I winced at the nickname. Only Freddy could call me that, and I clenched my fists. I exhaled and brushed my hair away from my eyes, looking back at him with an apprehensive expression.

"Don't call me that," I said, simply. Lionheart frowned and nodded, obviously knowing that he struck a chord, "Anyway...I guess...if none of this ever happened, I wouldn't have found my sister.

"But...was it worth it?" I kept asking that question in my head, but I finally let it out. We would probably be getting into some heavy stuff from now on, and I didn't think there would be an opportunity to truly talk.

"Look, Clyde," Lionheart interrupted me, but I let him continue, "Your father, your mother...many people may have died for you to get where you are now, but think about it," A smile crept onto his lips once more, a genuine smile, and an infectious one, that I couldn't help but contract, "You stood up for everyone when nobody else did. This is more than just a city, Clyde. You're standing up for all predators."

"But...everybody was having a fine life before I got here," I rubbed my eyes, "And now...I think to myself, if I hadn't come here, my sister might not have started this war in the city."

"She would've done it either way," Lionheart muttered, "It would've been part of her plan, right?"

I nodded and folded my arms, "I guess so...I'm just...I'm really worried, Lionheart." He frowned and nodded as well. He knew how I felt quite well, 'cause he felt the same. My ears perked and I stopped in my tracks. Lionheart raised an eyebrow at this.

"What's up?" He asked, in a quiet tone, "Is someone here..?"

"No," I started walking in the direction of the sound. It was a radio of some sort, I could tell by the static. Soon, it came into view. A body was lying on the cold, hard floor, with a black radio beside the body, "Oh my..." I glanced at Lionheart and knelt beside the body. It was face-down, so I gently rolled it over.

I shrieked and crawled backward. It was a tiger, whose face had been mutilated and torn apart by sharp claws, "...Jesus christ..." I covered my mouth, turning away from the body. I lurched forward and held my stomach, trying to vomit, but with nothing coming out. Lionheart coughed and rested beside me, stroking my back gently.

A few seconds passed before I could get myself to my feet once more. I grimaced and stared at the corpse, whimpering slightly as I glanced at Lionheart, "What the hell happened to him?" I looked down and grabbed the radio, holding it in my paw.

I could hear police chatter. I scanned through the different radio channels, stopping as I heard screaming. I stared wide-eyed at the radio. There was a woman speaking, and there seemed to be hundreds of people screaming in the background.

"...OFFICER DANIELS IS DOWN, WHERE IS THE CHIEF!?" She was screaming as loud as she could, "ALL PREDATORS ARE UNDER ATTACK, WHERE IS THE CHIEF!? CHIEF CORR!" I could hear glass being smashed.

I could hear someone shout; 'FILTHY FOX!', before the woman screamed and the radio went dark. I felt tears trail down my face and I collapsed to my ears, not wanting to hear anymore, I turned the radio off.

"...what has she done…?" I whispered, staring at the floor.

Lionheart frowned and looked down at the corpse once more, "Could any of the other people outside have done this?" He pointed at the corpse, "I mean, these are lion claw marks...and it was done viciously..."

"WHAT IS THIS THING!?" Lionheart and I flinched as we heard a painful scream. We looked in the direction of the scream with looks of horror planted on our faces.

It came from down the hallway, the way we came. I raised a flashlight and switched it on. My eyes widened as a bloody wolf was running down the hallway towards us, with what seemed like dozens of wounds on his chest, and his police uniform torn, "HEY! HELP!" He was screaming something pounced on him and started clawing him. I could hear his painful screams as I backed away. Lionheart pulled me to my feet and grabbed my paw. Whatever had pounced on the wolf was tearing away at him as his screams faded away.

My eyes locked with the creature that attacked the wolf. It was a large beige tiger covered with black stripes that seemed to be much bigger than Lionheart. Its black eyes sent shivers down my spine, and by the time I had realized that it was skulking towards us, Lionheart had dragged me away from the corpse and we had started running.

I let go of his paw and ran alongside him, down the dark hallways of the facility. We heard the heavy footsteps and growling far behind us, but it was approaching fast. I could feel my lungs burning up as I couldn't to run, whatever my sister had injected to my neck was still affecting my body, because I felt like I was about to lose consciousness.

Lionheart slapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the front door. My eyes widened as I tried to pull them open. They were large glass doors, with metal on the windows beside them. I tried to pry them open, but even with the help of the strong lion, the doors just refused to part. We tried to kick the doors in, but we realized that the glass was stronger than we thought.

I turned to look at me and screamed as the tiger jumped in my direction. Lionheart pulled me out of the way just in time and I landed on the floor, groaning as I slid across the tiles and came to rest beside a nearby wall. Lionheart didn't waste any time as he grabbed me and dragged me down another hallway, as the tiger pulled itself away from the door.

We looked back and saw that the tiger had gone right through the door, smashing it completely. I was terrified after realizing what kind of strength that, that tiger could wield, and I pondered what it could do to us, "In here!" Lionheart glanced at a nearby door and pulled it open. I let go of his paw as we ran inside.

Lionheart grunted as he slammed the door and glanced at a nearby table, "Help me move this, quick!" He exclaimed, grabbing the table and slowly dragging it towards the door. I went around the other side of the table and helped him push the table in front of it.

We gasped as we heard the door being smashed upon, and we saw the door physically move forward. The tiger's claws had penetrated the door and it was prying it open slowly, but with a strong resolve. Lionheart and I backed away from the door and looked at each other, hoping that the other could tell me, or him, about how the hell we were going to get out of this alive.

We looked around the room, staying as far away from the door as possible, as the tiger continued to slam its weight against it. The next time we looked at the door, it's mouth was peeking through the crack between the door and the door-frame, "AH!" I exclaimed, whimpering, "What are we going to do, man!?" I stared at him wide-eyed.

"The front doors were smashed open due to that thing, right?" Lionheart said, the smashing getting louder and more pieces of the door were falling off.

"Yeah, so?" I asked, "If you're suggesting that we manage to...get past, well...that," I pointed at the door, "You're bat-shit insane." I folded my arms.

"We need to distract it somehow...then we need to get through those front doors and get the hell out of here," Lionheart grumbled, "By the way you told Bonnie and Canis where to go, you obviously know your way out of here, right?" I nodded in response to this, "Good, because once we get out of here, there is no way that we're gonna have enough time to stop and figure out where we're going." Another smash at the door, and I could feel the table being pushed against the tiles of the room we were in.

We looked around quickly. There were no windows, and no other doors out of here. I noticed a couple of tables that were near the door, "We could crawl under the tables and stay silent as we crawl through them..." I suggested, in a low tone. I crouched down behind a half-wall, with the top half being glass. Lionheart did the same and I continued, "We could use them to crawl to the door and make a break for it." Lionheart nodded.

"I don't see any other way of getting us out...so, sure." We heard the door smash open, we gasped quietly as a piece of the door was thrown through the top-half of the wall, shattering it, the glass falling on top, and around us. We quickly crawled under a nearby table and watched the predator walk inside on all fours.

The table was absolutely destroyed, as was the door. But that made for an easier getaway, and for an easier escape for the tiger, so he could catch up quickly. We'd need a distraction when we got closer to the door. The tiger had gone the opposite direction of us, it's tail begin the last of it I saw as it went around the half-wall in the center of the room. I could hear the paw-steps, and the crunching of glass beneath its feet.

It took another few seconds before we made it to the door. Lionheart's paw rested on the side of the door. I bit my lip and noticed a bottle atop of the table we were crawling under. I reached from underneath the table and snatched the bottle, glancing at Lionheart, "When I throw this...you and I will make a break for it, as quiet as possible, okay?" He nodded and I raised my arm.

"One...two...three..." I whispered, whispering the third one louder as I threw the bottle across the room. I heard it shatter, followed by a growl and footsteps away from us. Lionheart crawled out from underneath the table and ran off, with me not far behind him. He grabbed my paw as we ran closer to the front door and jumped over it, so we didn't get hurt by any of the broken glass and shrapnel.

We misjudged the landing and landed on the grass. I rolled a few times after I hit the ground, and groaned as I pushed myself to my feet. I glanced at Lionheart. He'd hit the ground hard and he was still reeling from it as I got myself up, and helped him to his feet. We both flinched as we heard another growl, and we started running.

Lionheart had no idea of where to go, so he just ran after me. I peered over my shoulder as we ran, shrieking as I noticed the savage tiger leap over the door and land on the ground with grace. It growled at us and started running after us.

We'd run away from the facility, with me glancing at the vent on the way to the dirt-road. The vent cover was gone. I silently hoped that Bonnie and Canis were okay, as we continued running.

We heard the tiger come closer, as we could hear the dirt beneath its feet. I glanced to my right and noticed the hole through the barb-wire fence. As we turned to the right, the tiger slid across the dirt, a small cloud of dirt and soil filling the air.

"H-Holy shit!" I approached the hole and dove through without a problem. I did a combat roll as I landed on the other side. My eyes widened at this, "Where did I learn that…?" I whispered to myself as I turned back and saw Lionheart struggling to fit through the hole.

"M-My mane is stuck!" He exclaimed, in a higher-pitched tone. I pulled him for a few seconds, as the tiger approached the barb-wire fence, and eventually managed to pull the lion through, the tiger only inches away as it slammed into the barb-wire fence.

Lionheart landed beside me in a panting heap, as he turned back and saw the tiger, mangled in the barb-wire, with blood coming out of what seemed to be everywhere on its body, "What are we going to do about these other predators…?" Lionheart whispered, "These were all people, too." Lionheart looked over at me.

I noticed that on the tiger, it was still wearing a uniform, even though it was mostly torn, I could make out a mechanic logo, with a picture of a wrench on the side of his shirt, "A car mechanic, or something..." My ears lowered, "Come on, let's get back to the car." Lionheart and I started jogging through the forest.

"You didn't answer my question," Lionheart said, in a low voice, "What are we going to do about the predators? Back at the facility?"

"I've got a question of my own," I said to myself, "How did that predator get out? And if that one got out, did others?" Lionheart sighed at the question but repeated his question once more.

"Sorry," I apologized in a quiet tone, "We managed to cure you with something. After this is all sorted out...if it all gets sorted out. I'll tell someone, and they can work on the cure to cure the others," I looked down, "My boyfriend's father is still in there. Saliva dripping from his teeth, and his eyes a dark black."

Lionheart swallowed and folded his arms as we picked up the pace. After a good run through the forest, we finally came out from the other side. We panted heavily and looked along the road, feeling disheartened as we couldn't see any cars.

"There was supposed to be three cars...and a motorcycle out here," I looked around, walking onto the road with widened eyes, "Oh god..." I muttered, "We are screwed," I emphasized the final word heavily, "...if we can't get to town soon."

"Your sister is probably already in town, wreaking havoc with your boyfriend," Lionheart sighed, "But...there could still be time…" He paused, "Hey! Look!" I turned to look in the direction he was facing. I saw red and blue lights to the left of the road, with the back of a black car hanging out from something.

We ran towards the lights and looked down, noticing a police car lying in a ditch. I beamed as I noticed Bonnie and Canis pulling at the back of the car, "Holy shit, you guys are alive!" I exclaimed. Bonnie and Canis looked up us, and before we knew it, we were both wrapped in warm hugs.

Canis hugged me, then Bonnie hugged Lionheart respectively. I smiled at them as Canis pulled away, "We made it out, now...what are you guys doing, and where were all the cars that were out here before?"

"We didn't see any," Canis replied, "Except for this cop-car. We need to get it out of this ditch. Come help us out, man." I nodded and jumped into the ditch. Then I proceeded to get in front of the cop car and pressed my entire weight against it. Lionheart stood beside me and Bonnie and Canis stood at the back of the cruiser.

"Ready?" Canis said, already panting. Bonnie nodded, and so did Lionheart and myself, "One...two...three!" Canis exclaimed, as Lionheart and I started pushing the cruiser, with Canis and Bonnie pulling at the top.

To our surprise, the cruiser actually started to move. My eyes widened as a tire peered out over the top of the ditch and rested on the ground, "Wait until we get two tires out, then get in and we'll drive this thing out!" Bonnie exclaimed as they continued to pull at it.

I flinched as I felt the rain on my fur, "Oh shit," Lionheart muttered, "Let's go! The rain will make this impossible!" Sure enough, it made it almost impossible. But luckily for us, we managed to get the second tire on the top. I glanced at Lionheart, "Go on, get in, we got this!" I opened the driver's side door to the cruiser and stepped inside. I noticed that the car was already switched on, and I pressed my foot on the accelerator while putting the car into reverse.

The cruiser started moving backward, and slowly but surely, it started to go out further and further, "Here we go…!" Finally, after a few minutes of pushing and pulling, the cruiser slipped out of the ditch. Lionheart cheered as he crawled out of the ditch, and Bonnie and Canis grinned and sat in the back.

"Wait, what?" My eyes widened, as Lionheart got in the front passenger seat, "I didn't really learn how to drive properly! I haven't been behind the wheel of a car in ages!" I exclaimed.

"Just go," Bonnie said, as I pulled away from the ditch and onto the road. I pulled to the side of the road and looked at Bonnie with a bored expression, "Fine!" Bonnie got out of the car. Canis had asked Lionheart if he could take his seat, and the lion happily obliged.

I sat in the back seat, beside Lionheart, as Bonnie drove back on the road and towards the city at a faster pace. I relaxed in my seat, looking at Lionheart with an appreciative smile, "Thank you...for saving me. I felt like a burden the whole time, heh." Lionheart rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"You're fine," He smiled, "I owe you my life too, thanks for getting me out," Canis beamed at me, "All of you."

"Now we need to get you to City Hall..." Bonnie sighed softly.

"Remind me of what we're gonna do when we get there," Lionheart said, "I'm still confused."

"So...if we manage to make it to city hall, we can use the phone there to make a few calls?" I frowned, "We somehow need to tell people who will stop all of this...violence..." Lionheart frowned and nodded.

"Just because I was the mayor of Zootopia, doesn't mean I have authority here, Clyde," He sighed, "I'm washed up. My reputation was ruined back in Zootopia."

"So fix it here," Canis replied, and the conversation ended immediately after that. Lionheart leaned back in his seat, deep in thought, while I was fixated on looking out of my window. Much of the trip after that was silent until we reached the outskirts of Zootropolis.

During the entire trip there, the police radio did not silence at all. Hundreds of different officers were calling in, asking for orders, some of them screaming or begging for help, with half a dozen predator officers crying as well. It was painful to listen to, and as we got closer, Bonnie switched off the police radio.

I peered out the window as we got closer and closer to the city, frowning as I could see cars driving in the opposite direction.

The closer we got to Zootropolis, the more cars that we saw go the opposite direction, "This is unsettling..." Canis murmured as we got closer to the city.

"No kidding..." I muttered. We eventually made it to the freeway. Bonnie pulled onto the only entrance onto the freeway and gasped as he found himself behind another car. He opened the window and looked outside.

"Holy crap..." Bonnie muttered, opening the door and getting out of the police cruiser. I raised an eyebrow and got out of the cruiser, with Lionheart and Canis doing the same.

My eyes widened as I looked ahead of us. The freeway was blocked with thousands of cars trying to get through, most of them with no predators or prey inside. I folded my arms as I noticed a few flipped cars nearby, with some of them on fire, "Jesus...one person did all this?" Lionheart stood beside me with a sigh.

"There is no way that we're gonna make it to City Hall with a car," Canis said, as he started to walk forward, "Looks like we're walking..." He trailed off. I nodded and folded my arms as I started following him, with Bonnie and Lionheart trailing behind us.

"How far is City Hall from here?" I asked.

The wolf glanced at me and sunk his sharp teeth into his bottom lip. He exhaled before he answered me, "I'm not exactly sure, but I know where it is." The four of us walked along the freeway. I felt uneasy as we got closer to an exit that leads to the city center.

"I'm really scared..." I muttered. Canis frowned and pet me on the shoulder, "What if we can't fix this…? What if Freddy dies? What if…? Oh, god..." I whimpered.

Canis sighed, "Ifs and buts, my friend. Everything is going to be fine..." He smiled at me. I nodded and looked down as we proceeded off the exit ramp on foot and made it to the ground.

"Okay...I think it's this way..." Bonnie pointed down a nearby street. I bit my lip as I could see hundreds of different species tearing each other apart. I glanced to my left and noticed a tiger with a baseball bat running in our direction. I shrieked and ran away from the others, and down the street.

I shrieked once more as I bumped into someone. I looked up and my eyes widened. Grace was standing right there, with tears trailing down her face, "...Clyde!" Her eyes narrowed. She blinked away her tears and she clenched her fists.

"YOU DID THIS!" She screamed, throwing a punch at me. I groaned and landed on the ground, avoiding the punch, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" She exclaimed, falling beside me. She curled up in a ball and started crying to herself.

Canis looked down at her with a frown and extended his paw, "Grace...g-get up..." Grace looked up and grabbed the wolf's paw. He embraced the wolf and cried into his shoulder.

"I can't find my girlfriend!" She exclaimed, "Chica...she's gone!" Canis pet her back and stroked her shoulder.

"Did you see where she went?" Bonnie asked, a frown creeping it's way onto his face.

"S-She went towards City Hall. She said she knew somebody who...who could fix this. Who could fix all of this!" Grace exclaimed, before looking over at me.

"I heard what your sister said over the radio…" Grace whimpered, "Why is she doing this to everyone!?" The otter broke down into tears once more, and I felt my heart shatter.

In the long run, the people who were doing these things to the predators, Grace and Tania included, were being manipulated into thinking that they were doing something good, while in reality, the previous boss was evil, and my sister was a million times worse.

"She was always genocidal!" Grace exclaimed, "I could've done something!" She rubbed her eyes, "Where's the chief of police? Where's any of our authority?! Our mayor is in the fucking City Hall cowering and not making a move!" My eyes widened. I stared at Lionheart, then glanced at Canis and Bonnie.

"We need to get to her, right now!" Bonnie exclaimed, "Grace, come with us, okay? We're gonna find Chica, and we're gonna fix all of this." Grace nodded, and we started running once more, but with an extra otter by our side.

I turned back and saw Lionheart punch the tiger in the face, before running after me. Canis and Bonnie were running beside him, while Grace was trailing a little further behind, "We need to get to City Hall as soon as possible!" I exclaimed as they caught up to me. I glanced to my right after making it to the end of the street with the others, my eyes narrowing as they made contact with a large building.

"There's City Hall." I pointed in the direction of the building. It was only a block away, but between there and where we were standing, countless amounts of prey and predators were attacking each other. I whimpered as I saw a small rabbit smashing a leopard in the face with a spiked baseball bat.

"This place is permanently affected from this..." I whispered, "People are gonna die. And people have died..." I slowly walked forward, while keeping cautious and vigilant. Canis and Bonnie remained by my side while Lionheart stayed behind us with Grace. He'd told us that he was watching the back, so we allowed it, plus, he was keeping Grace safe as well.

A few times on the way to City Hall, they were almost attacked. Canis got a few bruises, and Bonnie had a sprained arm. Lionheart was uninjured, as was Grace, and I had a busted lip. I growled as a rabbit ran in my direction and I punched her in the face.

The bunny fell to the ground, unconscious. I looked up at City hall and froze as I noticed a wolf in front of City Hall, who was wearing a police officer's uniform.

He raised his gun to us as we came closer, his uniform was torn and he looked like he had gone through hell.

"D-Don't come closer! I won't hesitate to use this!" He exclaimed, the gun shaking in his paw. There was blood trailing down his face. It looked like he'd taken a blow to the head, and his eyelids were heavy.

"We're not here to hurt you," Canis said, "We've come to help! We have a plan!" The officer lowered the gun and narrowed his eyes at them, "We need to get inside City Hall." The officer growled and raised the gun once more.

"What's your names? All of you!" He exclaimed.

"C-Canis!" Canis exclaimed, "And that's Bonnie...Clyde, Grace, and Lionheart. I promise we're not here to hurt anyone!" I raised a paw as if I was going to say something. I was about to tell him that my sister had caused all of this. So I decided to but just dropped 'sister' from the equation.

"We know the woman who caused this," I said. The officer lowered the gun and his ears perked, "Her name is Emily Donovan. She tapped into the main radio station and caused all of this. We have a plan to stop all of this!"

The officer nodded and led us up the front steps, "Agh..." He held his head, then rubbed his eyes, "What's your plan? Officer Yankee is my name, by the way..." He muttered. I nodded as he opened the front doors and led us all inside. After we all made it inside, he walked in and closed the doors behind himself, and us.

"This is Lionheart, the former mayor of Zootopia," I glanced at Yankee, "My original plan was to get him here...and somehow spread the word that this war needed to be over!"

"What's the new plan, then?" Canis frowned at him. Officer Yankee folded his arms and watched me intently as I explained that the mayor was still in the building somewhere and that Grace's girlfriend had gone looking for someone else in City Hall.

Unlike the rest of the city, City Hall pretty much remained untouched for the time being, which put the fears of us being attacked to rest. I sighed and rubbed my temple as I glanced at the stairs leading to the second floor.

"Before we go anywhere, do you think this might be of use?" I reached into my pocket and grabbed the police radio. I handed it to the officer and frowned.

"Thanks, mine broke..." Yankee took the radio and switched it on. He gasped as a barrage of screams and police chatter came through.

"Actually, now that you're here..." I trailed off, "Could you go to the police station at all? Maybe try to reduce the panic?" Officer Yankee nodded.

"I'll go with him," Bonnie said with a frown, "I'm still an officer, anyway." Yankee turned to look at him.

"An officer? What's your name?" Yankee folded his arms. Bonnie folded his arms and smirked.

"Officer Bonnie." His smile faded, as he remembered working as a police officer, with Foxy by his side. He closed his eyes and covered them with his paws. He whimpered and started sobbing quietly. Lionheart rubbed his shoulder awkwardly and looked away from him, while Grace was busy sobbing on her own.

Canis slowly approached Bonnie and stroked his shoulder supportively, with a frown on his face, while I gave Grace an awkward smile. Bonnie sniffled and rested his head on Canis' shoulder. I frowned and glanced at the officer, "Uh...Bonnie will go with you, Canis can go with him too...if he wants." Canis glanced at me with a frown.

"But what about you, Clyde?" I shrugged and glanced at Bonnie.

"Bonnie's gonna need some support...and besides I have Lionheart with me,"I looked over at Lionheart, "And he'll keep me safe..." I rolled my eyes. Lionheart grinned and nodded.

"Before any of us go anywhere, do you have any idea where Freddy and Emily are?" Canis' ears flattened.

"No..." I whimpered, "But we'll find them...god, we better find them..." I rubbed my eyes, "G-Go...go on, guys, we should go and try to find the mayor..." My ears flattened against my head and I turned towards the stairs. I folded my arms and started walking up the stairs with a frown on my face.

"...okay. Stay safe." I heard Canis' voice behind me. Nobody else said anything, so I just continued walking up the stairs with Lionheart trailing behind me.

"Wait for me..." Grace whispered, following us up the stairs. I unfolded my arms as we made it to the second floor.

"This is a pretty small building for a City Hall," Lionheart looked around as we continued looking around the building, "The Zootopia City Hall was three times the size..." He murmured. As we looked around the second floor, we noticed a railing in the center of the large space. Lionheart and I leaned against them and peered over the edge, with Grace, being shorter than the both of us, just resting beside it. To my surprise, I hadn't noticed the giant hole in the roof on the bottom floor, because I could see right down onto the bottom floor over the side of the railing. I narrowed my eyes as I noticed glass covering the hole at the top of the bottom floor.

"I don't want to imagine anyone falling through that," I muttered, "Looks like it'd be a painful fall, at the least..." I rubbed my eyes and stared down at the glass. With thousands of thoughts on my mind, the big ones like Freddy and my sister, standing out through them, I held my head and tried my best not to break down or anything.

"I think he needs a bit of time alone," Grace said, in a whisper. She obviously was speaking to Lionheart, and trying to mask her voice so that I didn't hear her, "Lionheart..." Lionheart glanced at me with a frown and walked away. I peered over my shoulder and saw them both sitting on the top of the stairs, facing away from me.

I exhaled quietly and moved away from the railing. I looked up and saw a pair of doors at the end of the room. To the left of the double doors, was a single door with the words; 'Assistant Mayor' on the top of the door.

I glanced at the stairs and saw Grace and Lionheart speaking to each other. My ears lowered as I approached the assistant mayor's office and opened the door, "A-Anyone in here?" I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. I frowned as I looked around. It was pitch black and impossible to see without some light.

I pulled the flashlight from my pocket and switched it on. The office was rather small and compact, and there were paperwork and furniture strewn across the ground. I sighed softly and walked further in, waving my flashlight around in a desperate attempt to find something.

I shrieked as I heard a sound. I turned around and saw a can roll out from underneath a box. I shrieked again as I saw a feral rat run underneath my feet and out of my sight. I rubbed my eyes, my ears perking as I heard a voice behind me.

"H-Hello?" I glanced in the direction of the voice. During this, I wasn't aware that the door behind me was slightly open. In front of me, was a chicken and a fox standing behind a knocked over vending machine. The chicken had her wings above her head, while the fox was cowering in fear.

I flinched as Grace ran past me. She froze just as she and the chicken locked eyes. That's when I realized who it was. It was the woman that was at Club Rango with Grace. The chicken leaped over the vending machine and knelt down in front of the otter, grabbing her and kissing her gently.

I held the flashlight in my paws and cracked a small smile. The fox slowly approached me and looked up at me, "W-What's going on outside?" It was a female, and I noticed the odd uniform, with a name-tag below her neck.

"Assistant Mayor?" I raised an eyebrow, "Assistant Mayor Vixen...that's your name?" She nodded and grasped my paw gently. She was as tall as Grace, which wasn't that tall because Grace only measured up to the middle of my chest.

The door opened further. I glanced at the door and saw Lionheart standing there, "Mayor Lionheart? From Zootopia?" Assistant Mayor Vixen spoke, letting out a thankful sigh, "Thank goodness, somebody with experience! We've been trapped in here ever since...you know..." Lionheart nodded and glanced at me with a frown.

"Uh...keep these guys safe," I said, handing Lionheart the flashlight, "Still got one more room to check..." I glanced at the door. Lionheart frowned and nodded as he glanced at the others.

He turned to me just as I walked out, "Stay safe, bun..." I grumbled to myself and shut the door behind me. For some reason, I had a weird feeling in my chest. It was a mix of butterflies, and that burning feeling when you cough. What was this feeling?

Was this anticipation? Fright? Horror? I didn't give myself time to think as I approached the double doors. I noticed that written across the top on a plaque resting atop of the door, was the words; 'Mayor's Office.'

The mayor was missing, right? So she must be in here! I rested my paw on the door handle of the left door and pulled it gently. It was dark in there, and I was silently wishing I had kept my flashlight. Out of instinct, I closed the door behind me. I whimpered and slowly approached the mayor's desk, frowning as I noticed that everything was knocked to the floor.

My eyes narrowed as I noticed the chair had been knocked over. I walked around the side of the desk and shrieked as I saw a body lying on the floor. I knelt beside the body and rolled it over, gasping as I recognized who it was.

"Mayor Claw..." I whimpered, backing away from the corpse, "Oh Jesus..."I pushed myself to my feet and ran for the door. A cock of a gun stopped me in my tracks.

"Hold it right there." I didn't need to be told twice. I didn't move an inch for the seconds following that one sentence. I whimpered and closed my eyes.

"Turn around." I re-opened my eyes and turned in the direction of the voice. It was familiar, and when I turned to see the owner of the voice, my heart shattered once more, but...I also felt relieved.

My sister was standing behind the desk, in front of a massive glass window, with a gun in her paw, and an arm around Freddy's neck. Freddy's face was bruised, and he was looking at me through narrowed and hurt eyes.

"Freddy…!" I raised a paw. My sister cocked the gun once more, and I froze in place, "Emily...look outside!" I screamed, taking her off-guard, "Look what you've done! This isn't a revolution! This is genocide!"

"This is all your fault!" My sister snapped, her teeth peeking out of her mouth slightly as she sunk her top two teeth into her bottom lip, "If you had just...not done anything...and stayed away, this could have been avoided!"

"You were going to do this anyway!" I exclaimed, raising my arms over my head as my sister held the gun in the direction of my head, "With, or without my involvement! I'm not gonna let you do this to everyone! Nobody deserves this!"

"I didn't deserve what happened to me," She tightened her grip on Freddy's neck, causing him to groan in pain. I winced and whimpered, tears trailing down my face as my sister turned to look at Freddy, "And I'm going to make sure every single predator feels what I felt. Fear, pain, horror, sadness...everything."

I looked into Freddy's eyes. I could remember when we'd gone to that park, and seen all of those children playing with each other. Predator, prey...they were all playing together! I clenched my fists and took a step closer, "God damn it I love you Emily, but this needs to stop, right now!" I screamed.

My sister's ears perked, and she growled at me, "Lock the door."

"W-What!?" I exclaimed.

"NOW!" She screamed, firing a round into my shoulder. I whimpered and held my shoulder, pain searing through my entire body as I slid the lock on the double doors. I stared at the lock, my back facing Emily. I could hear the footsteps approaching, the muffled voices on the other side of the door.

I could hear Bonnie's voice too, so he hadn't left yet…

"Clyde!?" The door handle was fumbled, and they were trying to get it open. I could hear the whimpering of Bonnie, and with a heavy force pushing at the door, I knew Lionheart was doing everything he could to get the door open, "What's happening in there!? Clyde! CLYDE!"

I turned to look at my sister and approached the other side of the desk. This was it. If I made one wrong move, or said anything that would offend her. Freddy's life would end, and so would mine. She was edging closer to the large windows, pushing the barrel of the pistol against Freddy's head.

I considered unlocking the door, but my friends would come rushing in, and would frighten my sister. She wouldn't waste a second putting Freddy and myself down. I extended a paw and tilted my head, "Emily...please...let him go..." I whimpered, "We can fix this...all of this..." She lowered the gun from his head slightly. My eyes widened and I continued as I started slowly walking around the desk and getting closer to her, with my right paw extended.

"Remember...w-when...you protected me, huh?" I decided to play into her delusion of her having to 'protect' me from Canis that fateful day, "From Canis? The...the snowman?" My sister nodded and sniffled. Behind her, the sun was peeking over the tops of the buildings outside, and it lit the room in a beautiful orange glow. My sister's shadow was projected throughout the room, and I felt myself grow warmer as I got closer to the window.

Closer to the sun. Closer to her...and him.

Freddy whimpered and closed his eyes. Emily glanced at him, then at me, "I came to this city to find you...and I found you..." My lips pursed into a small smile, "And I-I found you...all this time...Emily, we can fix this...we can get you help..." My sister flinched, and I saw her grip on Freddy's neck soften slightly.

Maybe...maybe I could have said something else. But before I could, Freddy fell to the floor, and my sister lowered the gun to her side. She sniffled and started to sob. I looked into her eyes, and I could see my sister. The one who would buy me ice-cream, tell me that everything was okay, and keep me safe. I almost broke down right there, reminding myself of how my sister and I were at the bottom of the steps that day, as my mother and father argued near the front door.

She was there for me. She always was. In her nurturing way, but also...in her own sick and twisted way, too. I felt my heart lurch as she continued to sob, and I wasn't sure what to do. Freddy pushed himself off the ground and collapsed on top of me. I held him tightly and embraced him tightly.

It was the best feeling in the world to feel his fur through my paws again. I could feel his cheeks move. I knew he was smiling at me, but I couldn't see it. I looked over his shoulder, and to my horror, my sister was raising the gun to her head.

She backed up against the window, smiling at me with tears still trailing down her face, "...I'm coming, mom..." She whispered, breathless. It felt like the world slowed down as she rested her finger on the trigger and pressed it gently. I heard the shot ring out. The gun fell to the ground, and my sister fell through the glass window.

Freddy was watching in horror, "NO!" I screamed. I dropped Freddy and ran to the shattered window, looking outside. I looked down and started sobbing heavier than I'd ever done, as I saw my sister's lifeless body lying on the pavement.

The door smashed open behind me. But I drowned out all of the sounds around me. I could feel Freddy's body pressed against mine, and the dozens of eyes eyeing my sister's corpse. I closed my eyes and broke down, tears pouring out of my eyes and onto a patch of blood lying underneath me from where she'd fired the gun.

 _I love this place._

The heat of the sun was touching me, warming up my fur, but it didn't affect how I felt inside. I felt cold, and dark. I failed her. I failed myself. I failed my father…

 _But it's haunted without you._

It would've taken the city weeks to return to normal. Canis had managed to reach the radio station and explained everything. Police officers were deployed from other cities to assist in the riots. There were hundreds of bodies lying the streets, and thousands of more people were injured. My sister was dead, and my friends seemed to be happy about that. But I wasn't.

 _My tired heart is beating so...slow._

My sister's funeral was bare. It was quick, and it had no beauty in it. I was wearing a small suit, standing beside the empty grave of Emily Donovan. I glanced to the right of it and saw Foxy's old grave, which now belonged to Niall Donovan. Then I glanced to my right, and my mother's grave was there.

 _Our hearts sing less than we wanted._

 _We wanted._

They were buried together. The priest didn't say anything more as the coffin was lowered into the grave. I stood there, with my hands in front of me, while Freddy and Canis were standing either side of me. Both of them were holding my paws as the coffin was lowered out of sight, and the grave was filled.

 _Our hearts sing 'cause, we do not know._

 _We do not know._

To my surprise, I didn't cry. And I was thinking about the person she was before. Maybe my memories would finally stay in the past, and I could start thinking about the present and what the future would hold.

 _To light the night, to help us grow._

 _To help us grow._

After the grave was filled, Canis had received a phone call from Bonnie. Canis rested his paw on the speaker of the phone and turned to Freddy and me.

 _It's not said, I always know._

After the riots finished, the facility was emptied, and all of the predators were being treated with the antidote we had used on Lionheart. They were being cured slowly, but surely. It was working, and that put a small smile on my face.

"...They found Foxy," Canis said, a frown on his face, "Not his lifeless body..." Freddy and I were both staring at him in shock.

 _You can catch me._

 _Don't you run, don't you run._

Canis parked in front of the Zootropolis hospital. We got out of the car as quick as we could and ran inside. I walked right past the reception, with Freddy walking right beside me. I noticed a door ajar in the hallway and I cracked it open.

 _If you live another day._

Sure enough, Foxy was lying in the hospital bed, with Bonnie by his side. He looked like he'd been crying for hours. He looked up at us and didn't say a word as we walked inside. Canis came in after us, and just after him, a doctor walked inside, shutting the door gently behind him.

 _In this happy little house, the fire's here to stay._

"...have you told them?" The doctor said, grimly. Bonnie shook his head and rubbed his eyes. I glanced at the doctor, my eyes widening as I saw him approach the machine beside the hospital bed.

 _To light the night, to help us grow._

 _To help us grow._

Foxy was motionless, and his breathing was short and raspy. The doctor turned to face us, as Bonnie joined us in the corner, "Foxy's condition is serious...and we've done all we can," The doctor whispered, "…he's been seriously injured, and there were drugs in his system that we aren't even aware of in the medical world.."

 _It is not said, I always know._

"But what does that mean for him?" Canis asked, his ears flattening.

 _Please don't make a fuss, it won't go away._

"He's been placed into a permanent coma..." The doctor said, quietly, "Foxy Cynical is never going to wake up..." My eyes widened. I broke down and started sobbing into my paws, as did Bonnie. Canis hugged Bonnie tightly while Freddy held me.

 _The wonder of it all,_

 _The wonder that I made._

I shrieked as I saw the doctor reach behind the bed. I noticed the badger trail his fingers along a white cord, that was plugged into the wall behind the bed, "...no..." I whispered, but it was too late. The plug was pulled.

"I'm sorry...we've done everything we can..." He moved out of the way as the four of us approached. Allfour of us surrounded the bed. We didn't have to speak a word.

 _I'm here to stay._

I rested a paw on Foxy's arm, running a paw through his fur. Bonnie leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against Foxy's lips, before pulling away, covering his mouth and crying once more. Canis stroked his shoulder. Freddy looked at me. His face was covered in tears, and it looked like he was crying more than me.

 _I'm here to stay._

We all watched as Foxy's breathing slowed, and the air that was pressing against the mask he was wearing, was slowly starting to cease. Bonnie was resting his paw on Foxy's arm, so none of us dare disturbed the fox.

The breathing ceased, and there was silence.

 _Stay._

 **Three Months Later**

The city slowly returned to normal after Lionheart was elected for the new mayor. He knew how to run a city, that's for sure. All of the predators were still undergoing treatment after the facility, but they were all being cured.

Foxy's funeral was a week after his death. He was buried in the same cemetery. I kept telling myself that all of this death could have been avoided if I hadn't of even been here. But, without their deaths...we wouldn't have been able to free the predators.

Not even a week after the riots had begun, and swiftly ended, the collar law was banned. All of the predators were told that they had to get rid of their collars, and they all did it with praise. That day became known as; 'Freedom Day.'

Very creative, I know. But I was bored, sitting in the waiting room of a hospital. Yes, it was amazing that all of the predators could get their collars off, but god-damn, the waiting period was long. Freddy was sitting beside me, and he had a worried expression on his face.

But we weren't here for me. Or him.

We were here, for his father.

He'd just been let out of rehabilitation, and was supposed to be in the room in front of us. It took another ten minutes, but Freddy's name was called, and we were allowed inside. His father was sitting on the edge of the bed, the collar still around his neck, but visible, no longer camouflaged into his thick brown fur.

He didn't say anything. And no words were needed. Freddy and I stood back as a doctor came in and started working on professionally removing the collar. It didn't take too long, but every second felt like another hour. Freedom couldn't have come soon enough to Senior, he was just like every other predator forced to wear the accursed collars.

And as the collars dropped onto the ground, the bear felt around his neck with his large, bushy paws, and stared at us wide-eyed. Tears formed beneath his beautiful, blue eyes, and he got up and grabbed us, hugging us tightly.

"Thank you so much, Clyde," Senior sobbed, "You did this...you saved all of us..." The doctor smiled and glanced at Clyde with a grin. It was a male rabbit, and he had the biggest smile on his face.

"My kids want to be just like you, you know..." The doctor said, catching my attention, "...They want to make the world a better place, and now we've got two rabbits in this world making this happen...Judy Hopps in Zootopia...and Clyde Donovan here, both fighting for justice, and diversity and equality for all...right?" I felt myself melt at this and I instantly wrapped my arms around the doctor.

I didn't say anything else, but Freddy was smiling at me on the way out of the hospital. Senior was supposed to be the emotional one, and I was bawling on the way outside.

I sat in the back of the car, while Senior and Freddy were speaking in the front. I was staring out the window, watching the houses go by. As we slowed down to get through the traffic, I could see the smiles on people's faces. Of course, not everyone was going to be happy, and this town wasn't going to become a paradise by any means, but I felt like I...we...did something.

Canis and Bonnie had started to see each other a month after Foxy's passing, but the hadn't done anything too intimate yet, as Bonnie was still reeling over his boyfriend and lover's death. Canis understood that, and he was there to help Bonnie whenever it was needed.

Grace and Chica were situated in the mayor's office, alongside Assistant Mayor Vixen, who kept her job there, but instead of working for Mayor Claw – god rest her soul – they'd be working for Lionheart.

Mayor Lionheart.

It seemed things were turning out for the better. I would finally be able to have a life here. A normal life. I kept telling myself that losing my father, and some of my friends, wasn't worth it. But every time I get a thank you, or see somebody smiling, it reminds me of who my sister used to be.

Happy, full of life. And enthusiastic, ready to do anything to help out the world, in any way she could.

Lionheart didn't let me off the hook either. I was on a stage in front of City Hall a month after the riots ended, and I have been presented a medal and the key to the city. How could somebody as small as I accomplish something as big as this?

I even got to meet Judy herself. The rabbit in uniform. I remember those beautiful violet eyes and that warm feeling I had in my chest when she spoke to me on that same stage. Out of all the words she spoke, a small portion of it remained in my mind, that I would cherish forever, was simply; 'Black or white, wolf or rabbit, gay or straight, it doesn't matter. We all bleed the same color, and we all thrive together. In the two cities, of the future. Zootopia…' She'd paused with a smile; 'And Zootropolis.'

That's what Zootropolis was about, right? 'Where dreams come to thrive'? It was something like that, I'm sure, and maybe it'd take on a whole new meaning now, with people going out of their way to help each other, and making sure that the people around them, were just as happy as they were.

The city was far from perfect. But it was going to get better.

I finally got a job that I wanted. I'm not a professional photographer, and I'm loving every single second of it. Every time I take a picture, I close my eyes and wonder if my father would be proud of me if he was still alive.

That night after we'd arrived from the hospital, Freddy had me pinned against the wall of our bedroom. He kicked the door shut gently, so it didn't wake up Senior, and he pressed his muzzle against mine, hiss tongue intertwining with my own, and his chest pressing against mine.

I was in bliss, and I hadn't felt better in a long time. With my lover, holding me tightly, I kissed back, resting my paws atop of his shoulders, pulling him closer, and closer. He grabbed my shoulders in return, and pulled me onto the bed, with me lying atop of him.

We made out passionately, with him groping me every few seconds. I yipped and pulled away, my ears perking as I heard him laugh beneath me, his chest vibrating with every exhale he made. I smiled and laid atop of him, making another comfortable spot on his large chest. I tilted my head and grinned at the bear, as he stroked my cheek with his fingers, and his smile faded into a small frown.

"I'm so proud of you, bunny…" He whispered, "Really proud of you, I..." He closed his eyes, "You have no idea what you've done for me...for my family...for everyone..." He trailed off, "You are a hero, and you're my boyfriend. I love you, Clyde. With all of my heart." My tears fell onto him, and I clung to him. He wrapped his large arms around me and pulled me close, his lips pressing against mine as he did so.

"I want to marry you..." I heard him whisper, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to laugh...I want to be able to smile again, with you...and nobody else," I heard his voice soften, "I want you to be mine, and I want you to feel loved. Because you deserve it more than anyone else in the world." He wiped my tears away, and my emerald eyes locked onto those beautiful dark blue ones.

"You are such a charmer..." A warm smile crept onto my face. Freddy returned the smile and we held each other for a long time. I had no idea of how long we were lying there, but as he rolled over, and pressed against my back, I felt like the luckiest bunny in the universe.

He wrapped his arms around my chest, and I curled up in his arms. I felt safe, and I felt loved, but most of all, I felt like I could never be judged. I closed my eyes, and I felt myself fall into a dream once more, in my lover's arms. I couldn't think of a better place to fall asleep in.

 _I awoke in nothing. Literally nothing. There was no floor, no roof, everything was colored purple, and it was beautiful. It was like...a near-death experience. I looked ahead, and I could see them. Everyone._

 _Everyone who had died to get me this far. I slowly approached them, and I could recognize them all._

 _Tania, Wolfcastle, Corr, Mayor Claw, Foxy, Niall, Martha...and Emily...and a dozen more different species standing behind them. They all came closer to me, and I wanted to interact with all of them._

 _I could see the tears in Tania's eyes, so I wiped them away._

 _Wolfcastle kissed me on the cheek and thanked me quietly._

 _Chief Corr and Mayor Claw didn't hug me, they just stood there, with smiles on their faces._

 _Foxy hugged me tightly and whispered to me about making sure Canis takes care of Bonnie. I nodded and smiled at him before pulling away._

 _My family stood there, together. I reached forward, but I retracted my paw. I just stood there, staring at them._

 _Emily was her old self. A little bunny clutching her favorite doll, with a warm smile on her face._

 _My father, dressed in a Christmas sweater, holding a hot chocolate._

 _And my mother...holding a lone rose in her paws._

" _I miss you," I whispered to them, "All of you."_

" _We're proud of you," Niall spoke, as the vision faded, and my eyes reopened._

I was back in reality. Freddy had moved me, as we were lying our heads on the pillows, while our almost naked bodies were lying beneath the covers. Freddy had his arms tightly wrapped around me, with his crotch pressing against my rump, and I felt the warmth of his breath on my neck.

"Did you see them too?" Freddy whispered to me. I couldn't mask my shock, but I gave him a response either way.

"I saw them," I whispered, "All of them." Freddy nodded and stroked the back of my neck. His fingers stroking me with the gentlest touch. I couldn't feel any safer, and loved. Freddy caressed my sides and rested his head against the back of mine.

"They love you," Freddy muttered, "And I love you."

"I love you too, Freddy..." I whispered in a content tone. Everything was perfect, and I didn't want anything to change. I wanted to stay in that moment forever because everything seemed exactly how it should be.

I loved him, and he loved me. This city was free, and the predators were free too. This was how Zootropolis was supposed to be. But I couldn't be happier that it would get better.

This was no longer the city where; 'dreams came to thrive'. It was the city where anyone – just like in the city of Zootopia – could _do_ anything, and _be_ anything. Without fear of judgment, or prejudice.

What a wonderful world we lived in.

 **THE END**

 **And, that was the end of Zootropolis. This chapter was the longest I have ever written, with 19,643 words, and I will probably never top this. My future on Fanfiction depends on where the one-shot collection will go. I will stick with the one-shot collection for now, but from now on...no more big FNAF stories...it's time to move on.**

 **Thank you all, so much for the support. We made it to the end, and I couldn't be prouder of how much effort I put into the last chapter of this. I cry at the thought of it.**

 **I know you all probably get sick of me saying this, but I'm going to say it anyway.**

 **I love you all.**

 **(Little House (the song at the end) doesn't belong to me. Use Google, friends.)**

 **\- RSM**


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